An Uzumaki Amongst the Dunes
by pudgypudge
Summary: Having been denied his birthright by the council of Konoha, Naruto forsakes the Leaf Village. He leaves for what he hopes is a better life among the shinobi of Suna, taking his family's scrolls and heirlooms with him.
1. That Old Dusty Trail

The first chapter of my new story. I couldn't get this one out of my head so I had to put it online. Hopefully, it will recieve some of the notoriety that my other fics have. One can only hope. Enjoy people. Readers, Reviewers, thank you.

CHAPTER ONE

Gaara was safe. The Akatsuki had taken the Shukaku, but Gaara was safe. That was all that mattered. Naruto stared at his stoic friend and a small smile crossed his face. It wasn't often that someone you knew died and then was resurrected. But jinchuurikis don't work inside the realms of normal logic. They are living reminders that they shouldn't be alive, that no matter what, they should have been erased years ago. Human sacrifices weren't supposed to last as long as they had. But this train of thought wasn't helping any and Naruto knew that. Staring his friend in the eyes, Naruto raised his hand and offered it to Gaara. The red head raised an eyebrow and used his sand to lift his hand and grasped Naruto's own firmly.

"Thank you, my friend, for saving my life. I am indebted to you."

Temari and Kankurou stood behind their brother with grins on their faces. It wasn't often that Gaara showed this level of respect and warmth to anyone. Naruto merely nodded his head and clapped his hand on Gaara's shoulder.

"We have to go now my friend. I'll see you again one day."

As the rest of his group said their goodbyes and turned to walk away, a sudden cold feeling washed over Naruto and he turned to look at the form of Gaara several feet behind him. A foreboding sense of premonition washed over him and he didn't want to go home at the moment. Sakura, Kakashi, and the rest watched as he sprinted back over to Gaara and placed both hands on the Kazekage's shoulders, alerting many to how close they were and causing many to fall into defensive stances. The Godaime Kazekage simply puzzled at the distressed look on his friend's face and unfolded his arms.

"What else do you need Naruto? Ask, and if its in my power, I shall help you."

"Gaara, I just had a bad feeling. I need you to promise me that if I ever need to, that I can come live here. I have a bad feeling about going back to Konoha, and I…I just don't know. Just say that I can come here if need be."

A ghost of a smile crept onto Gaara's face and he clapped a hand on Naruto's right shoulder as Naruto dropped his own.

"Uzumaki Naruto, you are forever more welcome in Sunagakure. If you ever need help or refuge, we will welcome you with open arms."

Naruto ducked his head and a single tear crawled down his face. At least, if worse ever came to worse, he was welcome in Gaara's village. Raising his head, he looked past his insomniac friend to the people of Suna and saw nothing but smiles and admiration. He closed his eyes again and stepped away from them all. He turned his head while walking away, and in the tiniest voice that carried on the wind, he whispered.

"Thank you all. I shall see you again soon."

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The mission to destroy Akatsuki did not go as planned. Jiraiya was able to live, but he lost an arm to Pein. Sasuke and his Hebi group had engaged Itachi and had not done very well. The gap between the brothers was still as wide as a canyon. Hebi had run away, carrying their wounded leader, and the Konoha nins had not been able to pursue. Their main concern was getting Jiraiya back to the village and having Tsunade fix him up. The mission was a failure. Better to regroup and come out alive, than to pursue a foe that could destroy them all.

After much fussing and frantic crying from Tsunade over the stupidity of Jiraiya and his condition, the old hermit was fixed up and would be peeping on the girls again within months. Currently, he and Tsunade were sitting in the Hokage office with a very nervous Naruto. Tsunade cleared her throat and got his attention.

"Now Naruto, I want you to know that you're not in trouble. Jiraiya and I have something to tell you that will rock not only your world, but the foundation of Konoha as we know it."

Naruto gulped and sat up straighter in his chair. He wasn't in trouble but this had something to do with him and he couldn't really see it being a good thing. The shiver he had after they rescued Gaara all those months ago came back full force and the sense of foreboding was almost overpowering. Everything in him was telling him to bolt, but morbid curiosity wouldn't allow it. Signaling with his hand for her to continue, he readied himself.

"Naruto, this is about your parents, who they were, and what this means for you."

A pin could have dropped and would have been heard with perfect clarity. The sound of inhalation broke the silence and Naruto was seen gripping the handles of his chair so hard that his knuckles were white.

"My…my parents? Who were they?"

Jiraiya smiled at his apprentice and he and Tsunade crossed the room to sit in chairs in front of Naruto. A conversation such as this demanded not that they be professional, but that they be compassionate to a boy who, for all intents and purposes, was like a grandchild to the both of them. Tsunade smiled and started again.

"Your parents, Naruto, were Namikaze Minato and Uzumaki Kushina, two of the most powerful ninja this village has ever seen."

"Namikaze, Namikaze…where have I heard that name before? It sounds so familiar…"

Jiraiya laughed and slapped the arm of his chair.

"It should sound familiar, brat, that's the name of your idol, the Yondaime Hokage."

"My father was the Yondaime Hokage? But…but, why was I never told?"

A sad smile came onto Tsunade's face as she patted his knee.

"Your parents didn't want you to get a big head, Naruto, because of who they were. They were humble people and expected you to be as well. It was your father's dying wish that you be seen as a hero, but we all see how that turned out. Your mother was beautiful, a loudmouth tomboy at heart, but a beautiful person. Despite the way you grew up Naruto, you're one of the noblest people in Konoha by birth."

"Then why was I made to live like trash? I could have been adopted or…or something. Why…why did I have to be all alone? I don't think they wanted me to be all alone…"

Jiraiya sighed and sat back in his chair. A proud smile adorned his haggard face.

"Tell me, Naruto, do you know how you got that name?"

"No…"

"Your parents named you after a character in one of my books."

"I'm named after one of the characters in one of your perverted books? Great, that's just what I need to know now."

"Hey, that's not true. This was an earlier novel of mine that wasn't as well received. Your mother loved it though. It was a story of a brave warrior who became a hero to his village. In fact, it…really resembled your life up till now. I…I wrote down the Toad Seer's prophecy and didn't realize it."

This had piqued both Tsunade's and Naruto's interest, but only Tsunade had the voice to speak.

"Tell me, Jiraiya, how did it end?"

"It…I never finished it. The publisher didn't like it, so I only got up to the point where the hero meets the villain pulling the strings behind the scenes and then nothing. The rest is a blank slate Naruto. Your future is what you make of it."

"Do you have a picture of my parents? I want to see what they looked like."

The last two of the Sannin stood and motioned for him to follow them.

"We'll do you one better brat. We'll show you your parent's house."

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Stepping out into the sun, Naruto realized how warm it was and tied his jacket around his waist. The black t-shirt he wore was just a little tight and showed off his toned body. Naruto wasn't mindful of the looks he was getting though. Today was one day he could care less. Today was the day he learned of his origins. Perhaps, just maybe, that premonition wasn't a bad thing after all. After marching through the village for what seemed like eternity, the trio stopped outside of a set of gates. Naruto stood in awe before his family's home, completely oblivious to the prodding of his two companions.

"Well? Wouldn't you like to go inside and see what you have here?"

He merely nodded dumbly and padded after the two Sannin, up to the door and inside. Looking around, he noticed that the fact that his parents were humble people was very apparent. Instead of a clan house, it was a very quaint four-bedroom home, just big enough for a couple wanting to start a family. It was a very homey place with leather furniture and wood floors, a fireplace, and a larger-than-average kitchen. Naruto spun round and round, taking it all in. He heard Jiraiya sigh and turned back to his sensei.

"You know, the last time I was here was right before you were born. I was in a bit of a slump and Minato and Kushina insisted that I stay with them until I was my normal, jolly self. I'd never seen them so happy, talking about what a great kid they were going to have. Heh, if they could only see the hellion you grew up to be, they'd have never been so upbeat."

Tsunade and Naruto chuckled at his joke. Jiraiya was trying to be enlightening while sorting through his own memories.

"Your mother was beautiful Naruto. Redheads are always feisty ones. You get your attitude from her. She never took shit from anybody, including me. She was always such a blast to be around. Minato, well he's public knowledge. He was a prankster extraordinaire and a very powerful man. Of course, he wouldn't have amounted to anything without my training, but that's beside the point. I loved your parents as if they were my own children and you, yourself, are my godchild."

"Then why didn't you come get me after it was all over?"

"Naruto, I didn't step foot back in Konoha until that day you met me at the hot springs. You have no idea how shocked I was to see you. It was like looking at a fusion of Kushina and Minato, and yet, I didn't want to believe it. You couldn't be real. If you were alive, it was a painful reminder of duties that I had shirked. I'm sorry Naruto."

"It's alright Ero-sennin. I forgive you. I know all too well that the past is painful. Besides, meeting you in that way was a lot more fun and exciting than being raised by you."

The three shared a laugh and eventually quieted back down. As he wiped the tears from his eyes, Naruto's vision settled on a photo of a redheaded woman and a blonde man, both in jounin uniform.

"Are those…are they…is that them?"

Tsunade nodded and Naruto took the photo off the wall and sat in a chair, staring at it intently. He was indeed the vision of his mother in the face, while his hair and build resembled his father's. His chest began to ache and he had to set the picture down before he dropped it. Tsunade sat beside him and wrapped her arms around his shoulders.

"Now, now, don't cry. We have a lot of exploring to do and not much time to do it. We have a meeting with the council soon and you have to be there."

"What? Why?"

"Because we're going to reinstate you as the last Namikaze. We have your father's and mother's will, your birth certificate, and several affidavits that say you are who you are. Unfortunately, for you to be reinstated as a clan after so long a period of inactivity, we'll need a majority vote from the council. After all, you've been registered as a ward of the state and an orphan since your birth. We have a lot of work ahead of us."

Jiraiya nodded his head and clapped a hand on his shoulder.

"Just know, boy, that you've done a lot of good in your career as a ninja. Not many can do what you can. You're an asset to the village and unless there are a lot of bigots and grudge holders on that council, then we'll have no problem. Now, what say we investigate the rest of this house?"

Naruto nodded and followed after them, a small frown on his face. That bad feeling was back again and this time it was threatening to consume him.

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Tsunade had been arguing with the assembled council for a while now and it was disheartening to say the least. Despite all the evidence, despite his shining military record, despite ALL he had done for the village; some still held a grudge against the fox and still saw him as the monster inside him. Jiraiya was ready to blow any second. This is how they treat not only a fellow shinobi, but also a child of noble birth? Gritting his teeth, he seethed to himself. If this had been Uchiha Sasuke, they would have kissed his ass so fast…

Naruto sat against the wall by the door, his head hung low. This must be what the feeling meant. He was denied his heritage; all that belonged to him was lost. He could care less about the land or the house, those were superficial things. He wanted the memories that belonged to him that were inside; the pictures, the books, the scrolls, his family heirlooms. He wanted his parents' legacy and he was denied that. He had stopped listening after their vote came up negative. Tsunade was in a rage.

"How can you deny him his heritage? He is a ninja of this village and you can't deny him his parent's things."

Homura pushed his glasses further up on his nose and sighed. It wasn't that he didn't like the boy; he just didn't hate him either. He was completely neutral. But the Namikazes were good people and there was no sound proof that this boy was their son. He couldn't, in good conscience, let him have something that might not belong to him.

"Tsunade, what you say is true. We can't deny him his heritage, but there is no proof beyond your word that he even has a heritage. There is simply no way that I can vote for him to receive the holdings of the Namikaze property, nor can any of the other council members. I don't speak for everyone, but if there were proof beyond a shadow of a doubt, I would be the first to cast my vote for aye."

"So all you need is proof? That's all?"

"That is all."

"Fine. I want one month. I'll have your proof or we will never speak of this again and the Namikaze estates will be auctioned off. Agreed?"

Heads nodded and Tsunade and Jiraiya stormed off with Naruto in tow. Retreating to the Hokage office was the only thing they could do at the moment. They should have known that those idiots wouldn't let it go smoothly. Now all they had to do was find proof. Naruto, however, had had enough of political scheming and stood up, crossed the room, and placed his hands on the shoulders of his two older companions.

"Enough. I see now that I will never reach the heights I want to here. My dream has always been just that, a dream. But I've achieved a certain goal of mine. I know now who my parents were and I can live happily knowing that I was a wanted child, that my parents didn't desert me or abandon me. But Konoha no longer holds anything for me. I want to leave Tsunade."

"I can't do that Naruto. You'll be labeled a missing nin as soon as you exit the gates."

"But what if I wasn't a missing nin? What if you reassigned me to an allied village?"

Tsunade sat down behind her desk and folded her hands under her chin. Jiraiya took up his station behind her.

"You've put some thought into this haven't you?"

"Ever since we saved Gaara I've had a bad feeling that wouldn't go away, like something was going to happen that would affect me greatly. I asked Gaara if he would give me a home if I ever had to leave the Leaf and he agreed. Please Baa-chan, don't make me stay here where I'm not appreciated."

"But Naruto, we appreciate you. Don't leave because of this. We'll fight it and we'll make it right."

Naruto shook his head and smiled sadly.

"Baa-chan, I'm not stupid. I know that the council is against me. I don't have a future here except to die for a village that doesn't appreciate me. Do you know that I've never had a day go by here that I haven't been glared at, or insulted, or threatened with violence just for breathing? Do you know what I found in Suna?"

"No, what?"

"Acceptance. Adulation. Fellowship. I'm just one ninja, Tsunade, and I'm not the best. I'm powerful, but I know my shortcomings. I'm brash and loud and I don't think things through. Maybe in Suna I can find myself and I'll see you again one day, a better ninja and a better man. Please Baa-chan."

Tsunade swiveled her chair so that he couldn't see her face. Tears cascaded down her cheeks as she looked at Jiraiya pleadingly, as if asking him what she should do. He had no answer but a frown and a knowing nod, to which her tears seemed to redouble. It was true what Naruto said. He had no future here, he had no life. At least there, in Suna, the people didn't glare at him, they didn't hate him. And he had friends there, genuine friends who knew who and what he was. A happy thought flitted through her mind. Maybe there, he'd find love from someone who was as strong as he was, in mind and body. No one here would let their daughters near him, and his crush seemed so far away. Yes, perhaps this was for the best. She swung the chair back around and gave him a teary grin.

"Well then, when do you want to leave?"

"I want to do some things first. They may have denied me my heritage, but I'm not leaving without a few things that are rightfully mine, council be damned. I want my family scrolls, I want my family's pictures, and I want my father's coat. The rest you can do whatever you want with."

Jiraiya raised an eyebrow at his demands.

"And how do you intend to get all that brat?"

"I'm going back with you two one last time. I'm taking several sealing scrolls and I'm putting my family's things in them."

Tsunade nodded her head, but then a fear crept into her mind.

"Naruto, those scrolls are important to the village. How do you intend to take them out without it being seen as treason?"

"I'm going to make copies of whatever is written in them. We'll retrieve them and bring them here to the Hokage office, where I'll make copies and then we'll go see the council again and announce my transfer."

"They'll want the scrolls, you understand."

Naruto set his mouth into a snarl and slammed his fist on the desk.

"They can't have them! Family scrolls are for family only and if there are no Namikazes left in Konoha then the scrolls need to be destroyed. I'll burn them myself if need be."

"I see. If you can't have your rightful property nobody will. I like that brat. You know they'll throw a hissy fit right?"

"Like I give a damn. I don't care what they think anymore."

Tsunade leaned back again and opened her desk drawer, taking out a bottle of sake and three dishes. Jiraiya and Naruto both raised their eyebrows while she uncorked the bottle and poured the sake into the dishes. Lifting hers she bade the two to pick theirs up. Jiraiya did so with a grin on his face, but Naruto looked apprehensive. Tsunade sighed and thrust the dish into his hand.

"I wanted to have a drink with you when you were older, but I may not get that chance now. You're going to drink with Jiraiya and me and you're going to like it. We need to get good and shitfaced before we go about destroying important documents tomorrow."

The three lifted their dishes and clinked them together before downing them. Naruto coughed and sputtered, drawing laughter out of his two older drinking buddies and prompting them to utter at the same time.

"Lightweight."

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The next morning found our trio back at the Namikaze household, and standing in front of a heavy oaken door with a red seal on it. Tsunade and Jiraiya had thrust Naruto to the front and stood behind him while he faced the wooden gate to his desires. Looking over his shoulder, he asked for guidance on what to do. Jiraiya huffed and smacked him on the head.

"All those years of studying seals didn't do jack squat with you did it? It's a blood seal you moron. Cut your thumb and run the blood across the seal and the door should open. It'll only do this for a person of Namikaze blood though."

A light bulb seemed to come on in Tsunade's head.

"Wait! If that's true, then that's how we can prove his heritage. They'll have to believe us then."

Naruto sighed and turned around as he bit his thumb.

"You know as well as I do it's a futile effort Baa-chan. They don't want me to be a Namikaze and they'll probably say something stupid like 'the demon altered his blood to that of the Hokage's or some shit like that'. Let's just do what we came here to do and copy them at your office."

Without another word, Naruto swiped his thumb across the seal and it glowed a bright red before the door swung open and a musty smell came from the now open room. Coughing slightly the three made their way in and stared in awe at the large amount of scrolls in the vault. Minato was a lover of knowledge and his library could rival that of the Hokage tower. Kushina undoubtedly had her own stash in here, but the majority was Minato. Naruto smiled as he looked around. His parents were definitely knowledge hogs. Deciding to forgo those thoughts for the moment, he turned to his companions and tossed them some scrolls.

"Whatcha waiting for? Get to sealing."

Several hours later, the three had gathered every scroll in that library and were headed back to copy them all. Naruto looked at Tsunade and Jiraiya and sighed. He needed to do something to thank them for their help before he left. Suddenly an idea came to his head.

"Hey, tell you what. As thanks for helping me do all this, I'll buy you whatever liquor you want, my treat. What do you say?"

If their eyes could have lit up any more, he'd have been afraid their heads would catch on fire. He was soon shoved off to the nearest liquor store with a list as long as his forearm. Perhaps offering to buy for them wasn't a good idea…

The copying process went very smoothly. After sitting there copying for about an hour, Naruto had gotten bored and summoned several clones to keep going while he took a break. Tsunade soon caught on and sent several as well. She wondered in the back of her mind, if that applied to Hokage paperwork too. Jiraiya, with his one arm, had to concentrate hard to get just the right amount of energy, but was able to make two clones to take over his workload. The rest of the evening was spent with the three getting drunk off their asses, while Tsunade sent a message to the council to meet again in three days. Maybe by then, Naruto would have enough time to look over everything he wanted and get what he needed.

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Tsunade entered the council room with Jiraiya and Naruto following closely behind her. This would be a day to remember one way or the other. For one, she was about to send a shinobi to another village without warning and that was considered poor taste from a Kage. The second reason was that she was going to allow said shinobi to destroy documents that could prove potentially useful to Konoha and that definitely wouldn't sit well with the council. The third was that she had invited all of Naruto's friends to sit in on the proceedings, an unheard of thing in the history of Konoha. Seeing that everyone was getting restless, she started the meeting.

"Alright everyone, thank you for coming. We are here once again to decide whether or not you will allow Naruto to take up the name Namikaze and take the seat for that clan on this council. Last time you voted nay. What say you all this time?"

Homura, having been named the representative after his speech last time, stood and addressed the Hokage.

"Have you come across any new evidence to support the claims that one Uzumaki Naruto is indeed the son of Namikaze Minato and Uzumaki Kushina?"

A collective gasp was heard from the section where his friends sat. Several murmurs were heard about how he did look like the Fourth and that maybe he was somebody. Naruto grimaced when he heard that. It was as if you couldn't be somebody unless you were from a clan around Konoha. Tsunade shook her head.

"No we haven't found any new evidence. Now what say you?"

The vote went around and it came up nay again. Tsunade sighed and hung her head. This sealed the deal.

"Very well. Uzumaki Naruto may never take the name Namikaze then and the properties shall be sold off. This is the final decision of this council and may not be overturned. I shall now allow Naruto to take the floor as he has something of interest to tell you all. Naruto?"

He nodded his head and walked to the front of the room. Taking a rather large scroll from his back, he bit his thumb and swiped it over the length of the scroll, dumping out several more on the floor. Bending his knee, he picked up one and passed it to the council member closest to him.

"These are the family scrolls of Namikaze Minato and Uzumaki Kushina. As they are family scrolls, they cannot be allowed to fall into the hands of any untrustworthy people either in or out of Konoha. I have brought them all here to destroy them in front of the council, that they may never be used for ill."

All the council members blanched at that and began to call out. Homura raised his hand, calling for silence.

"Whence did you come by these scrolls boy? These were locked away in the Namikaze household, protected by several blood seals and traps. Only one who was of the Namikaze bloodline could…"

The old man's eyes grew large, large enough to bug out of his head. He lifted his gaze and locked eyes with Naruto, who had a sad look on his face.

"You…you really are…"

Before he could finish, Naruto had raised his hand and started speaking again.

"No, I am not. That was the supreme decision of this council. There are no Namikazes in Konoha anymore. Therefore, these scrolls must be destroyed and any evidence that could be used against the village must be destroyed also. I, myself, am no longer a part of this village as of tomorrow morning. I am being transferred to Suna, where I will take up station as a Suna nin, under the orders of the Godaime Kazekage. I am only here to tell you of this myself."

Everyone stood up and began shouting that he couldn't leave, he was the last Namikaze. It was foolish, he thought, that they would say this after a supreme decision. It couldn't be taken back. Besides, his mind had been made up. With a few quick hand signs and a cry of 'Katon: Goukakyu no Jutsu' he incinerated all the scrolls, amidst a chorus of howls of anger. He felt a slight pinch in his heart as he destroyed his father's work, but took solace in the fact that only the originals were lost. His parent's work would live on through him. He turned to the council member who clung to the tiny scroll and held out his hand. He scowled when the man jerked back, cradling the scroll as if it were precious.

"You come in here and destroy our mightiest Hokage's work and expect me to give up the last thing we may have of him? I don't care if you are his son, I won't…"

He never finished what he was about to say because Naruto had leapt over the table and slammed him against the wall. His fangs bared, he snatched the scroll from the man and tossed it onto the bonfire in the middle of the room.

"Never say I'm his son. You idiots all denied me that right and I shall never forget it. I'm going to Suna now, a place where I hope I'll be appreciated. You won't have to put up with the demon brat anymore. You won't have to put up with Uzumaki Naruto anymore. I quit."

He dropped the man and walked out of the room, heading towards his apartment, where he hoped to prepare to leave in the morning. He heard the sound of footsteps behind him and turned to find his ex teammate Sakura, and the rest of his friends. He didn't want to see them right now, but then again, no time like the present. Sakura had decided she'd speak for the group.

"Naruto, you can't just leave. What will we do without you?"

"The same thing you did when Sasuke left. Carry on. Don't worry about me, I'm going to a better place."

Neji took his turn.

"But aren't you the one who told Sasuke that he didn't need to leave the village to become strong? You're running away from your problems Naruto."

"Don't you dare compare me to him. Sasuke never had to put up with the crap I did. He wasn't hated for something he had no control over. He wasn't ostracized. I'm going to a place where I'll be appreciated for what I can do, not hated for what I never did. I'm sorry, but you'll all do fine without me. You did fine when I left the first time."

Hinata walked to her crush, for what she thought could be the last time. Making her way slowly forward, she wrapped her arms around his neck and sobbed against his chest. Naruto smiled and looked down at the shorter kunoichi. She was always so kind, if only he didn't have to leave. But alas, things never go as planned.

"Shh, shh, Hinata don't worry. I'll see you again someday. Promise me that in that time you'll get stronger."

She looked back up at him and gave him a shaky smile, nodding her head. She didn't trust her voice at the moment as she slunk back beside Kiba and Shino. Naruto looked at the rest and did his best to keep his voice steady.

"Neji, I'm sorry but I'll have to break my promise to you. I won't be able to help you change the Hyuuga. I expect you and Hinata to do it in my stead though. Lee, I'm sorry I won't be around to spar with you anymore. TenTen, I'm sorry I never got to know you better. Shikamaru, Chouji, I want you two to take care of yourselves and Ino. Don't let Asuma's sacrifice go to waste and take care of that kid of his. Shino, Kiba, take care of Hinata please. She needs your support more than ever. And Sakura, you'll have to try to find Sasuke on your own with Kakashi. I'll send whatever info I can on him and if I see him I'll try to subdue him, but I'm not making any more promises. I'm sorry guys but this is goodbye."

He turned on his heel and left to pack, his heart breaking into pieces. He always hated saying goodbye to people and now it felt like the weight of the world was on his shoulders. He had people who depended on him here, but they were all strong. They'd get along without him.

The group stood and watched him fade away into the evening and one by one they began to walk off. The last to leave was Sakura. She couldn't believe that yet another of her teammates had left her all alone. She walked home sobbing to herself and thinking that if only he hadn't been denied what was rightfully his, this may have never happened.

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Naruto stood at the gates at sunrise, eager to begin his journey. Beside him stood Tsunade and Jiraiya, the only ones to come to see him off. Jiraiya had given him the last book of his series and made him promise to read it when he got a girlfriend. Naruto made a silent promise that if it was any good like the old pervert said, he might buy them all. Tsunade had nearly broken down in tears and hugged him until he turned blue. She was sniffling and hiccupping the whole time and it took Jiraiya grabbing her ass to make her let go. She turned and glared at the one armed man, promising pain later. Looking back at the young man before her, she smiled one last time and gave him a kiss on the forehead.

"That was for good luck. Now, you'll let us know when you get there right?"

"Of course. I'll have Gaara send a messenger bird."

"Are you sure you don't want us to notify him before hand?"

"Yeah I want this to be a surprise. Well I better go."

Naruto turned to walk away before he remembered the one thing that he had promised to do.

"Oh yeah, Ero-Sennin. I need you to do me a favor."

"And what's that?"

"I don't think I should have the Toad contract anymore. After all, it's a Konoha contract and it needs to stay in Konoha."

"That's not up to me kid, that's up to GamaBunta. It's his contract."

"Well, we better take care of this right now then."

With a quick cry of 'Kuchiyose no Jutsu' the chief toad appeared.

**I don't see any danger. Why was I called here?**

"Down here chief."

**Ah Uzumaki. What do you want?**

"I need to cancel our contract. I'm leaving Konoha."

If GamaBunta could have looked any more surprised it would have been comical. He merely looked at the boy with hurt in his eyes and asked the inevitable question.

**Why?**

"Because I'm not appreciated here. I'm leaving and I think it's dishonorable to take a Konoha contract with me. I'm sure Ero-Sennin can find a suitable replacement."

GamaBunta's gaze turned sad and he knocked his pipe out on the ground.

**There aren't many like you kid. And you're right; I did agree to serve those who serve Konoha. No way I can convince you to stay? I'd rather you be my summoner than one who is unworthy.**

"Sorry chief, I can't. I have to do this. I'm really sorry that we never had that drink either. Tell your kids I'll miss them ok?"

**I will. And Jiraiya? This boy's replacement better be as good as him or you're toast. Goodbye Naruto. I'm glad to have met you. Your father would be proud.**

With a large puff of smoke GamaBunta disappeared and Naruto ducked his head to keep the tears from flowing. The toads had been a part of him since he was twelve and it hurt to cancel his bind with them. Jiraiya put his arm around the boy's shoulder and gave a reassuring squeeze.

"Don't worry brat. I'll make sure it ends up in the hands of someone who deserves it. I'll miss you boy."

"Hai I'll miss you too. You'll always be my favorite godparent."

Jiraiay choked on a laugh and stood back, wiping the tears from his eyes. Tsunade stepped forward for the last time and wrapped him in a hug.

"I'll miss you Naruto. I really will. Come visit sometime ok?"

"I will Tsunade. I most definitely will. And next time, you're buying sake ok?"

She laughed and stepped back beside Jiraiya, who put his arm around her shoulder for support. For once, Tsunade didn't berate him; she just leaned in and took what she could get. With a wave over his shoulder, Naruto was gone into the coming light. They watched him until he faded away, his white coat melting into the morning sun. It was like looking at the back of Minato all over again. Tsunade wiped away one last tear and looked up at Jiraiya, who looked down at her with a smile, which quickly faded as he saw her feral grin.

"Now then, what have I told you about grabbing my ass?"

As Naruto jogged on, he kept thinking he heard the screams of a pervert in the distance. The thought brought a smile to his face as he marched on to his new home. Hopefully, some things would never change.


	2. Home, sweet home

And here's Chaper 2. Seems this fic was fairly well recieved at first. We'll see if it continues with the same success as the other three. Personally, I like a NaruTema myself. Their personalities are so alike it isn't funny...which leads to much hilarity. Enjoy. Readers, Reviewers, thank you. Peace.

CHAPTER TWO

As Naruto trudged along the path, his thoughts went back to what he had learned earlier that week. His parents were good people, honorable people, and they had loved him. He was not happy with his father's decision to stick a demon inside him, but it was a hard thing for a man to decide to do. Do you decide that the life of your child is worth more than an entire village or do you take the adage that 'the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few' to heart? It was a troubling question and he didn't know if he had an answer to that. His father had been in a compromising position and if he were placed in the same, he didn't know what his solution would have been.

People stared at him as he passed them by. He had forsaken his orange jumpsuit. It was a reminder of what he had left behind in Konoha, a childhood that needed to end as soon as possible. It was time for a fresh start and he had started that with a change of clothing. Wearing beige baggy pants, a black long sleeved shirt, black sandals, and his father's battle coat with the sleeves shredded, he was quite an imposing figure. The tall collar of the coat shielded him from prying eyes somewhat, and for that he was grateful. He wasn't out of Fire Country yet, and there were undoubtedly some people from Konoha who would recognize him. He shifted the pack on his back and straightened up slightly.

It was hard for him to cancel his contract with the toads but he felt it needed to be done. That contract had been in Konoha for quite a while, and it just felt wrong taking it away. Even if Jiraiya never found someone to summon them again, the contract would stay in the vaults until someone was deemed worthy. He mourned the loss of his friends from the toads but it was for the best. He wanted a fresh start in everything. Perhaps he'd find a new contract somewhere and it would rival the toads in power.

After a couple days of walking, Naruto found himself at the border of Fire Country and River Country. He grimaced when he remembered that that was where they had found Gaara, dead on the ground with Deidara on top of him. It was not a happy memory, even if his friend was saved in the end. It was just a reminder that those bastards were still out there, even if they were weakened at the moment. He growled deep in his throat and some people walking by him turned and stared. He didn't notice and just kept walking. Thinking about Akatsuki wasn't going to help any. He needed to keep his thoughts about him, and look toward the future.

He stopped about halfway through River Country for the night and made camp. He suddenly wished he hadn't been so hasty in giving up the toad contract. Gamakichi would've made a good companion on the trip. He sighed and rested his chin on the folded arms supported by his knees. He hoped that his new life in Suna would be a happy one. At least he already had some friends there to make the transition easier. But going from an environment full of life and flora and fauna to one filled with never-ending sand and wind was quite a system shock. He stared into the fire and watched as the flames crackled and danced. He'd done so much in the past few days and it made his head spin. Deciding to try to bore himself to sleep, he summoned one of his mother's scrolls and began to read.

Several hours had passed and he still wasn't asleep, but that was more from excitement than from a need of rest. This particular scroll was all about his mother's gardening ability. So that was where he got his affinity for botany. She had several tips for dealing with several different types of plants. He was intrigued with the idea of imbuing plants with chakra to make them grow and sending chakra into the ground to make grassy patches. If he saved up enough money to buy a plot of land in Suna that would most definitely be a useful tactic. Snapping the scroll shut, he laid down and was soon asleep.

Morning came earlier than he wished and he went about his morning ritual. He got out the picture of his parents and prayed that their souls were safe. He had heard over the years about the fate of his father and only hoped that Kami would have mercy on his and the other Hokage's souls. It wasn't fair that such noble men were forced to suffer while monsters such as Akatsuki roamed the earth with no repercussions. He ran his fingers over the faces of his mother and father and let a single tear fall. His dream now, besides living a full life and having a family, was to meet his parents in the next life. He stared at the faintly twinkling stars in the morning sky and wondered if perhaps two were his parents. Shrugging off those thoughts he wolfed down his breakfast of fruits and bread, sloshing it down with water.

He used a Doton jutsu to bury the remains of his fire and cleared away any evidence that he had been there. Shouldering his pack again, he continued down his path to Suna. He felt a familiar feeling the closer he got to the border and soon realized that he was close to the cave where the Akatsuki had taken Gaara. He shivered and shook himself to rid himself of the feeling. He didn't ever want to go back to that cave. He imagined the remains of Sasori were still there, what little humanity he had left rotting away with the ravages of time. Yes, he would definitely avoid that place.

Soon the greens of River Country began to fade and the sands began to creep in. He had looked down when he heard the first crunch of the granules under his sandals. This was his new home. When he was truly in the country, actually in the desert, he had stopped and sniffed the stifling air, trying to acclimate himself to the heat and bareness. He would definitely have to try that gardening method of his mother's. For the moment though, he didn't want to be caught in a sandstorm and Sunagakure was a few hours away. Channeling chakra to his legs, he crouched low before springing away across the desert, the sand behind him lifting in a wave before settling back down, as if he'd never been there.

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Gaara sat in his comfy chair, glaring at the mountains of paperwork that lay before him. He had taken the job to attain that which Uzumaki, no, his friend Naruto, had in spades. The power of caring, the power of forgiveness, the power of making a friend and protecting those he thought precious. He wanted to be someone of import, someone precious to the people, and he wanted to protect them. He stared hard at the papers and tried to incinerate them with his eyes. It was no use. This was how the people thanked him for being the Kazekage. They gave him multitudes of paperwork and expected him to sit in an office all day. He sighed as he sat back. He probably had lost control of his sand by now, sitting in this damnable chair all the time.

For some reason his thoughts swung to his one, true friend in the world. Uzumaki Naruto was, is, and always will be an enigma to him. The boy was truly too forgiving in his opinion. He smiled when he thought about their first fight. He had never seen such sadness and understanding in someone's eyes as he had then. It made him happy that he had found someone such as himself, and sad at the same time that someone else carried a burden such as his. The boy had saved his life twice now, and he was eternally in his debt. He hadn't heard from his friend in quite a while now and was wondering how he was doing. He was just about to pick up his pen and return to his paperwork when a chuunin burst through the door looking quite distressed. Gaara looked up slowly, as intimidating as possible, and gave a long, drawn-out 'yeessss?'

"Kazekage-sama, there is someone heading our way from the River Country border."

"And? People come from that direction all the time. It's probably a traveler."

"They're traveling at a very high speed."

"Probably just a courier ninja. Nothing to worry about."

"They're kicking up the sand behind them in waves, like a boat breaking across water."

"…perhaps I should have a look after all."

Temari and Kankurou stood on the wall beside the entrance to Suna and stared out over the desert. Whoever was kicking up that much sand had to be extremely quick and powerful. They weren't normal, that's for sure. There was no mention of a messenger coming nor was there any indication that their allies were in trouble. Their heads turned as one when they heard the swishing of sand and found their younger brother stepping out of a small whirlwind. He crossed his arms in his favorite pose and walked between them.

"What's the damage?"

Temari smiled at her little brother and looked back to the wave of sand getting closer.

"No damage. We just don't know what or who the hell that is. It's not a courier ninja. I've never seen one who could kick the sand up like that. The only people I can think of fast enough are Rock Lee or Maito Gai and only after they've opened the gates."

Kankurou smirked and started to undo the scroll on his back.

"Nah, we'd have known if it was them. You can see that godforsaken spandex from miles away. This guy's wearing a white coat with flames. He has blonde hair and he's about your height Gaara."

Gaara stood and thought hard. Blonde hair huh? There weren't many friendlies he knew of who had blonde hair and less who were male. That only left one person. His siblings watched with their eyes growing wide as that maniacal grin splayed across his face. They hadn't seen that look in quite a while. In fact, for Temari, the last time was with…

"I shall go down and greet our guest. Tell no one to interfere."

Before they could protest, he was gone in a whirlwind of sand. Temari looked at Kankurou and shrugged.

"You'd think those two could greet each other without trying to kill one another at least."

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Naruto began to slow when he saw the tops of the buildings of Suna over the last sand dune. He knew he was traveling fast and if he didn't want to slam into the walls around the city, he needed to slow down or they'd be scraping him off. He wondered if they had seen him coming when a blast of sand erupted in front of him and he instinctively threw himself to the side, rolling on top of the sand and coming to a stop on one knee. He chuckled and stood in a defensive stance. Appears Gaara couldn't wait to see him. His red-haired friend stepped out of the fountain of sand with his arms crossed and that alarming grin on his face. Naruto sighed and stood straight up.

"Can't we greet each other like normal people? With a handshake or a hug? You don't have to showboat for the people of Suna. You are the Kazekage after all."

Gaara's grin only grew wider and a playful glint came to his eyes that not many saw.

"We aren't normal people Naruto. And besides, this way's more fun than a handshake."

Naruto nodded his head and took his stance back up. He was going to lose here, more than likely. After all, the desert was a part of Gaara. He had all the ammunition in the world here. Sighing, Naruto formed his favorite seal and went after his friend.

Above on the wall, most of the shinobi of Suna watched as their Kazekage decimated his friend. Kankurou and Temari chuckled and outright laughed as Gaara flipped Naruto into the air and played with him like he was a ball. They admired the boy for not allowing his demon to come into play. If he had, the fight would have been over before it started and even Gaara knew that. But the two were just playing and that was evident, since Naruto managed to get in a few glancing blows. Temari heard a kunoichi beside her sigh dreamily and turned her head to the young girl.

"Something wrong?"

"Of course not, Temari-sama. I was just thinking that the Kazekage and that other guy are very handsome."

Temari cocked an eyebrow and looked back out at the two flipping around. Well, the blonde was flipping around; Gaara was just standing there, although she knew he was enjoying himself.

"What makes you think the blonde is handsome? I can't even really see him from here."

"His build. He's average height but he has broad shoulders and an athletic build. Not too big but not too small. Besides, neon blonde is a very exotic color for hair. I wonder if it's natural…"

Temari didn't answer, she just turned back to what was left of the fight. Gaara currently had Naruto upside down by the ankles and was talking to him face to face. From the easily seen grins on both their faces, she could tell that they were having a pleasant conversation. Suddenly, the upside-down blonde stuck his tongue out and disappeared in a poof of smoke and the real Naruto sprang up from the sands and put Gaara in a headlock, while giving him a noogie. Throwing her hands up to her mouth to choke back the laughter didn't help, as Kankurou and her howled while the rest of the Suna nin sat in awe at the man manhandling their Kage.

Gaara had changed much in his time since the Shukaku was taken from him. While in front of his people he was still the cold, emotionless bastard he was from his youth; around friends and family he could smile a little and relax. It helps when your best friend is a hyperactive idiot hell-bent on everyone having a good time. Their rough housing completed, the two stood and Gaara brought them over the gate on a platform of sand. Naruto felt a little uncomfortable with all the eyes on him until he remembered that no one in Suna hated him that he knew of. He was about to say hello when he found himself enveloped in a hug from Temari.

"Welcome back to Suna Naruto. I hope you plan to stay for a little while."

"I've actually come to talk to Gaara about that. We're going to his office at the moment. Sorry, but I'll catch up with you two later. Me and the insomniac have things to discuss."

Gaara muttered under his breath that he was standing right there as he and Naruto shunshined into his office. Naruto took in the unassuming room and smiled. If everything went as planned, this is where he would be receiving his orders from now on. He turned to his friend, who had taken up his station again in that comfy chair. Gaara motioned for him to sit and he let himself melt into the leather chair.

"So, to what do I owe this honor Naruto? You don't make it a habit of visiting without reason."

Naruto took a deep breath and looked the Kazekage in the eye. He told him the whole story behind his leaving, who his parents were, everything. At the end, he decided to drop his bomb.

"I want to become a Suna shinobi."

A senbon needle could have dropped and Gaara wouldn't have noticed. This was almost unheard of. A Konoha nin willingly coming to Suna was a genuine surprise. Of course, his natural curiosity was piqued.

"Why?"

"The council denied me my heritage and birthright. I couldn't live there any more and I remember you saying that I could come here any time. I want to be a ninja under your leadership."

"But what of your dream? Does Tsunade know of this? Why here?"

"Yeah, Tsunade knows. She signed my release forms. I need your approval though. I'm still a genin after all and that rank would carry over here. I guess I'd have to take the chuunin exams again."

"No you wouldn't. I'll make you a chuunin right now, but Naruto…what about your dream?"

"Dreams die Gaara. I have a new dream now. I have my family heirlooms and scrolls and I want to start my own family. I'll make a new clan and it will rise here in Suna. That is, if you'll let me."

"Of course. I'll notify Tsunade immediately. Do you need any time before you take up duties?"

"Just a little. I have a fair sum of money saved up and I wanted to buy a plot of land if I could. I just want to relax for a bit and read through my parent's scrolls. I want to know them a little better."

"Well, until you're ready you may stay at my family's compound. Temari and Kankurou still live there and I don't think they'd mind you staying. I'll have to warn you not to eat Temari's cooking. She's a horrible chef. Kankurou's passable, but not by much. If you're a better cook, I suggest you offer if you don't want to starve to death."

"Thank you Gaara. I promise you I'll never let you down."

The two stood and shook hands before Gaara summoned Temari to escort Naruto to the Sabaku compound. As the two blondes left, he smiled and sat down while writing his letter to Tsunade.

'You've never let me down before you idiot. I don't expect you to now. Now the question is, where to put a new chuunin?'

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Temari kept cutting her eyes to the man walking beside her. She couldn't help but appreciate his looks once he was out of that jumpsuit. The coat definitely made him look familiar, like she'd seen him in a book somewhere. She couldn't put her finger on it though and it bothered her. Her analytical mind just couldn't let go of a puzzle and Uzumaki Naruto was definitely a puzzle.

"So what's it like at the Sabaku compound?"

She nearly didn't hear him; she was so lost in her thoughts.

"It's alright. I have to put up with Kankurou and his puppets but other than that it's nice. Gaara takes care of us. We never want for anything."

"I see. How are you and Shikamaru doing?"

Temari narrowed her eyes and turned to face him, making him stop. Putting her hand on her hip, she shifted her weight to one leg.

"There is no me and Shikamaru. He's a competent person, but he's not boyfriend material. Hell, you're more boyfriend material than he is."

They walked on in silence for a few minutes, but Naruto's prankster side couldn't let something like that slide.

"Boyfriend material huh? Maybe I'll take you up on that later."

The rest of the way was filled with a sputtering Temari trying to regain her dignity while Naruto laughed his ass off. He was going to have so much fun with the Sabakus. They were way too uptight.

Temari ushered him into his room and shut the door after him, after giving him a hug and welcoming him to his new home. She left with a smile on her face, muttering about 'blonde idiots'. Naruto sighed happily and looked around his room.

'Home, sweet home.'

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Gaara meanwhile was putting the finishing touches on his message. He looked it over and nodded to himself. Yes, that would do nicely.

_Tsunade-sama,_

_I accept the enrollment of one Uzumaki Naruto in my ranks of Suna shinobi. I believe he will make a wonderful addition and I thank you for giving him the option to come here peacefully. Worry not, my siblings and I shall watch out for him and make sure he doesn't get into too much trouble. I am sorry for your loss, as he is one of your best shinobi, but from what I have heard, most of Konoha will not mourn. One man's trash is another man's treasure after all. Please send all records of him via a courier as soon as possible. I thank you again and please, do visit sometime. Naruto would like that I'm sure._

_Godaime Kazekage_

_Sabaku no Gaara_

He tied the message to a bird's leg and sent it off toward Konoha. Life was definitely going to get more interesting with Naruto here.

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As Temari walked down the street, back to the Kage Tower, she kept thinking over what Naruto had been picking on her about. She had never really had a boyfriend. All the guys in Suna were too scared of her and her brothers to ask her out. Besides Shikamaru, who was a total lazy ass, and Naruto, there weren't many who weren't afraid of her family. As she climbed the stairs, she thought it wouldn't be a bad idea to take him up on his offer, even if it was jokingly. She'd have to let him get settled in first, but then she'd spring her trap. As a fellow wind user, he'd be fun to train with, and she'd heard through the grapevine that he had imbued a powerful jutsu with wind manipulation. Yes, she'd definitely have to train with him.

As she stood before the door to Gaara's office, she smirked as she had a brilliant stroke of genius. This'd teach that little asshole to make fun of her. She stepped inside and smiled at her brother, who knew immediately from that mischievous look that someone was in trouble.

"Brother dear, I have an idea as to what to do with our new chuunin…"

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Naruto sat in his room alone, reading a scroll into the waning hours of the night. Gaara had stopped by earlier and said that he had sent a message and would give him a week to get settled in before he would be assigned to his new post. This gave Naruto plenty of time to read up on the history of his folks and get situated to Suna. Gaara's only request was that he eat lunch with the Sand Siblings every day. That wasn't a bad condition. He liked Gaara's family. Temari could be scary, but other than that she was a cool chick. Kankurou was a prankster at heart like he was and the two got along splendidly.

He sat against the wall and read further into the scroll. His parents didn't really write much about themselves. It was mostly about their techniques but any good ninja could garner much about a person from just that. His father was not a meticulous person; his writings flitted here and there, with attention only paid to the big things, like how to do this or that. His mother was painstakingly accurate about everything and he admired her for that. The two seemed to be polar opposites when it came to paperwork, but apparently when it came to life they had the same philosophy. Live hard, love hard. He sighed and banged his head against the wall. If only they could have lived…

The next morning found Temari waking up to a wonderful smell. She didn't think about what she was wearing as she and Kankurou were the only ones in the house. She had forgotten about Naruto overnight and walked into the kitchen wearing only an oversized t-shirt and her panties. Eyes half-lidded she yawned and stretched as she said 'good morning' to the shape at the counter. When she didn't hear the familiar grunt of her brother, she cracked her eyes a little wider and they flew wide open when she saw who was cooking. Clad only in boxers and a muscled shirt, was Naruto, flipping pancakes on his griddle and bacon frying in another.

The two stood dumbfounded, just staring at each other. Temari, admiring his well toned body and unnatural tan, liking the way his hair hung limp without a headband and the way the whiskers on his cheek made him seem feral. Naruto stood admiring those legs of hers, well defined and toned, and thinking that her chest must have gotten bigger since he last saw her. He cocked his head to the side, completely oblivious to the fact that he was staring and drank up her face. She was definitely cute, although she could be bossy when she wanted. They would have stood there for quite a while until a gruff voice came from behind her.

"You're burning breakfast Naruto. Pay attention. Temari, put some pants on."

Temari looked down at her attire and shrieked before rushing back upstairs to get dressed. Kankurou looked at Naruto's blushing face and died laughing. It was going to be so fun teasing those two. He accepted the plate that Naruto handed him and smacked his lips appreciatively when he took his first bite.

"This is really good dude. Temari can't cook this good."

"Shut up asshole."

She appeared at the door again, this time in her black battle kimono. She glared at the blonde boy, who blushed again and turned back to the stove. She smirked at his back and sat down at the table, looking longingly at Kankurou's plate. He eyed her and put an arm around it protectively.

"Wait your damn turn. This grub is mine."

"You could share you know. I am older than you."

"Not on your life. This guy's cooking from now on and I ain't giving up my portions. It's way too good."

"You guys are embarrassing me. Here Temari, sorry about earlier."

She waved her hand dismissively and took a bite out of the pancake. She chewed slowly as he stood by, waiting for her reaction. She sat her fork down and turned to him.

"This is without a doubt, the most…delicious thing I've eaten in quite a while. Bravo squirt."

Naruto growled at her, his elongated fangs showing.

"You know, I'm not twelve anymore and I'm just as tall as you. Don't call me squirt."

"I will if I want. Besides, you have a meeting with Gaara later on today. Your new assignment if I'm not mistaken. Congratulations on making chuunin by the way."

"Heh, thank you."

"I'm a jounin you know. I still outrank you."

"Hmph…just eat your damn pancakes."

Kankurou looked back up from his bacon and smirked. Oh yes, this would be so much fun…

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Naruto walked up to Gaara's receptionist and smiled at her. She blushed when she saw who he was and gave him a shy smile in return.

"Can I help you?"

"I'm here to see Gaara. I hear he has something he wishes to speak to me about."

"Ah yes, Uzumaki-san, go right on in. He's been expecting you for a while now."

"Thank you."

As soon as he had closed the door, he was pinned to the wall by a blast of sand and Gaara stood before him.

"I hope you don't expect me to accept tardiness here Naruto. I won't have you turn into that worthless sensei of yours."

Naruto laughed and struggled against his bonds before Gaara let the sand recede.

"I cooked breakfast this morning and had to listen to your sister give a lecture about not being a pervert."

"What did you do to my sister? We may be friends Naruto, but if you…"

"I didn't do anything. She forgot I was there and walked into the kitchen wearing a t-shirt and panties. Your sister is gorgeous by the way. I can't help it she's forgetful."

"Indeed. Now sit, if you please."

Once they were settled in, Gaara took up his arms-crossed pose.

"I sent off the message that you had arrived to Tsunade last night. I requested all your records and they should arrive soon. Now then, I have called you here because of your new assignment. One of our chuunin has been reassigned to a new post and I have need of your services in his stead. Do you accept?"

"Of course Gaara. Just tell me what I need to do."

The former jinchuuriki smirked and stood grasping Naruto's hand in a firm shake.

"I knew I could count on you Naruto. You will report to the academy starting next week to begin your new assignment."

"And that would be?"

"Why, sensei to the new academy students of course."

Naruto's eyes went wide and he opened his mouth as if to scream, but nothing came out since Gaara clamped his sand over the boy's mouth. After several seconds of struggle, Naruto sighed in defeat and his shoulders slumped. Gaara let the sand recede and Naruto glared at him.

"I really hate you, you know that? What makes you think I'll be a good teacher anyway?"

"You have the skills, you just need to apply them accordingly. Don't worry; it's not forever, just until I find someone more suitable. Here's a folder of all the information you need. I suggest you study up and get ready. Dismissed."

Naruto grabbed the folder and stomped out of the office. Gaara smirked when he picked up the mumbled curses coming from his friend. The children would truly have an interesting year with their new sensei.


	3. Schoolteacher

And here's Chapter 3. I'm having a lot of fun with this one. I hope to turn the notion that Naruto is a one shot idiot upside down. He might be naive and clueless to some extent but the words 'diamond in the rough' have never so accurately described a character before. I just hope that you all take to this Naruto. He's severely different than any other you're likely to run across. After all, even a lump of coal can become a diamond with enough years and handling. Readers, Reviewers, thank you. Roll it up. Peace.

CHAPTER THREE

Naruto sighed for what seemed the millionth time that night. He'd been going over the files of the students and what was expected of a chuunin teacher for a couple days now and he was not happy. The students were fine; he'd get to know them later. It was the class curriculum that bothered him. It seemed that every hidden village insisted on teaching history and other book related topics over practical things. He scowled and leaned against the wall. He was going to change that with his class, consequences be damned. Knowing that you were responsible for teaching children how to be ninja, even if it was just the basics, was a huge burden. He wouldn't send them off half-cocked.

He looked around at all the scattered files and picked up one of particular interest. It was the requirement for the graduates. Same as Konoha. Henge, Kawarimi, Bunshin. Despite their boast of quality shinobi, Suna had low starter standards like their ally. True their numbers were lower because only the best of the academy were accepted, but his class wouldn't be like that. Pulling out a blank scroll Naruto began to scribble furiously on the parchment. His class plan would break rules and tear down barriers and if Gaara didn't like it then let him try to stop him. Uzumaki Naruto always proved his detractors wrong.

Naruto straightened himself out as he walked toward Gaara's office. Clad in his beige pants, black shirt, and battle coat with his chuunin vest beneath, he cast quite a shadow. He nodded his head to the receptionist and knocked on the door. He tugged on his vest again and smiled. Temari had wanted to be the one to present it to him, but Gaara reserved the right of the headband for himself alone. A monotone voice bade him to enter and Naruto stepped inside. Gaara took in his friend's appearance and nodded approvingly.

"While I appreciate the change of color, I don't think your father would have approved of you tearing the sleeves off his coat."

"Yeah, well, it gives me a better range of movement. Besides, a sleeveless trench coat looks cool."

Gaara sighed and walked around his desk. He presented Naruto with his headband and bowed to him. Naruto took it with a smile and bowed to his friend. The two straightened up and each took a chair. As Gaara made his way back to his comfy leather chair, Naruto tied the headband around his arm. He liked his hair better down anyway.

"Congratulations new chuunin of Suna. I am proud to welcome you into our ranks."

"You don't need to say all that Gaara."

"Shut up idiot, I'm obligated to. Now where was I? Oh yes."

The speech continued on for nearly five minutes in Gaara's drawling monotone and Naruto was sure by the time it was over that the former jinchuuriki had only said the speech to make him mad. His eye twitching madly, he tried to keep his voice calm.

"Is that all Kazekage-sama?"

Gaara frowned and the sand behind him swirled up.

"I thought I told you not to call me that."

"I thought I asked you not to say all of that spiel."

"Yes, well, that is my right. On to other topics. I assume you are prepared for your class?"

"Yes."

"You've read the curriculum? Read the files on your students?"

"Yes."

"I can trust you not to teach them frivolous things like that Oiroke no Jutsu of yours?"

"They're children Gaara. I wouldn't teach kids that jutsu."

'Not what I heard.'

"All right then. Chuunin Uzumaki, welcome officially to the Suna ranks. And Godspeed and good luck with those little brats, you're going to need it."

"Gee thanks. Well I gotta go. I'm fixing dinner again tonight and I've gotta get to the market."

"You're fixing dinner?"

"Mmhhmm."

"…I'll be over later."

"Heh, see you then."

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Naruto hummed as he stood over the stove. Cooking had become something of a nerve soother for him and it relaxed him greatly. It was a plus that everyone enjoyed his cooking. He'd tried some of Temari's fare and ate it politely, not wanting to hurt her feelings. Kankurou, however, did not share his tact and ended up being brained by a frying pan. Poor Naruto had to run damage control between the two the rest of the evening. No wonder Gaara used to be homicidal.

Naruto tensed when he felt someone lean over his shoulder, but eased up when he saw the golden tresses of Temari.

"Whatcha cooking?"

Naruto shrugged his shoulder to get her away and pushed her back with his free hand.

"None of your business. You'll find out when dinner's ready."

"Awww, but I want to know now."

"Well, tough shit. I'm not spoiling the surprise, but if you keep bugging me I won't make dessert either."

The blonde beside him disappeared immediately. She absolutely adored the desserts Naruto had made in his short stay at the compound and had put a whole cake away by herself. She complained of an aching stomach the next day and Naruto berated her for being such a pig, earning him a knock on the head from her battle fan. Ah well, it was all in good fun. Staying with the Sand siblings was a real riot. He chuckled to himself and tasted what was in the pot. 'Hmm, needs more salt.'

An hour later Gaara showed up with Baki in tow. It was a good thing that Naruto made unusually sized portions. Between him and the Sand siblings, food never lasted long. As the four made small talk in the living room, Naruto began to set the table. Putting his fingers in his mouth, he let out a shrill whistle.

"All right. Soup's on."

The four appeared at the table so fast Naruto thought they had used Shunshin. With a quick 'Itadakimasu' everyone dove in. Naruto waited to see what they thought before he dug into his plate. Baki sat up straight and swallowed his mouthful before smiling at Naruto.

"This is very good Uzumaki. Much better than anything these three ever came up with."

Shouts of indignation came from Kankurou and Temari while Gaara just grunted and kept eating. No use arguing if the food got cold. Once everyone was done and patting their bellies, Naruto retreated to the kitchen and came back with a covered dish. Temari was literally bouncing in her seat from anticipation. Naruto pulled the cover off the dish to reveal a double chocolate cake. Temari was practically foaming at the mouth. Gaara looked over at her and sighed.

"Temari, close your mouth. You're drooling everywhere."

Naruto just laughed as the kunoichi wiped her mouth off and held out her plate for a slice of cake. He cut her a generous portion and watched her dive into it. The others were no better though, except for Baki who kept some dignity while trying to shovel it in as fast as he could.

"Gaara, you're the Kazekage. You shouldn't eat like a pig. It sets a bad example for those of low station like myself."

"I'll remember that when you have to come up with extra curriculum for the children. Perhaps table manners would be a good subject."

"Perhaps."

Dinner passed without much more incident and the five found themselves in the living room, passing around a sake bottle. Baki took a strong swig and passed it to Gaara, who declined and passed it to Kankurou. Baki stared at Naruto for a moment before speaking.

"So Uzumaki, any idea how you're going to teach all those brats?"

"I do actually, but I'm not going to tell what my lesson plan is. I want my class to be unprepared for what I have in store for them. They'll find out in two days what kind of teacher I am."

Temari took a swig and passed it to Naruto.

"So you won't tell us anything? Not even a little hint?"

Naruto smirked and took a swig before passing the bottle to Baki again.

"I'll just say that my curriculum will be as unorthodox as I am. We need ninja here in Suna, but more importantly we need quality ninja. I intend for my entire class to pass."

Gaara stared at him incredulously before snorting.

"I've heard that claim before Naruto and believe me, that's a dead wish. It won't happen."

"I know what the requirements for genin are Gaara. I intend for my class to surpass those standards. That's all."

The other four stared at him for a second before going back to their drinks. Baki took a huge swig and sighed heavily.

"That'll be the day."

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Today was doomsday. Naruto groaned when the alarm clock went off and took a swipe at it, sending it across the room and into a wall. He sat up and looked bleary eyed across the room before settling on the scrolls still spread out on his bed. He rubbed his eyes furiously and mussed his hair. Growling, he got out of the bed and set the alarm clock back on the bedside table. With a sigh, he got dressed in his now normal attire before going downstairs to start breakfast. Temari would be up soon and Kankurou would follow.

Naruto was lost in thought as he flipped the omelet. He was no genius and he'd accepted this role without any prior knowledge of what to do. Flying by the seat of his pants worked in battle but in a classroom structure was the watchword. He'd have to hope that what he was going to do wouldn't be frowned upon. He didn't like the idea of parents or an angry Gaara trying to kill him. Temari came in and said 'good morning'. Naruto waved at her and set her omelet on the table, before turning back to fix another for Kankurou.

If bad things happened, then bad things happened. Naruto would make no excuses for what he was about to do to those children. He'd seen too much in his short life. He was sixteen years old and was going to teach children just a few years younger than he. They couldn't understand what he had experienced in life, the solitude, the loneliness, the pain, the sadness. But he'd make them understand. Those kids would leave his classroom, not as he had left his, a stupid, simpering little fool. They'd ALL leave shinobi of the highest caliber or none of them would graduate at all. Kankurou stumbled in and grunted. Naruto sat his plate in front of him and began his own omelet, still lost in thought.

Temari had watched the boy from the moment she entered the kitchen. He never looked at them, just kept making breakfast as if in a trance. She knew today was his first day as a teacher but she'd never seen the hyperactive blonde so…quiet. It was almost scary. But she knew enough from dealing with Gaara not to bother someone when they were being introspective. It wasn't good for anybody. She wanted to say something bad, but when the blonde dropped his plate on the table and ate absentmindedly, she knew it wasn't her place.

Kankurou glanced across the table to his sister and nodded his head in Naruto's direction. She shook her head no. She wasn't going to interfere. Kankurou sighed and sat up straight.

"Oi Naruto, what the hell's with the long face?"

The blonde looked up and gave the puppet master a confused look.

"What's the deal man? You nervous?"

"Who wouldn't be? I don't know what I'm getting myself into. Hell, I don't even know if I'm good with kids."

Temari pushed her plate away and looked into his eyes.

"You'll do fine Naruto. I know you can do it."

For some reason that settled him down some. He felt more at ease. He gave her a shaky smile and returned to his meal with more gusto. The siblings looked at each other and grinned. He'd be fine.

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Naruto strode down the hallway of the school with his files ready. He looked this way and that, trying to find his room and saw someone leaning against the wall further down. Upon getting closer he saw it was Gaara, leaning outside his class door. The red head looked at him and nodded.

"Good luck my friend. Don't let me down. I expect big things from this class."

"Why? Because I'm so awesome?"

"No, because you're an idiot who has the devil's luck. I expect you at my office for lunch. Good bye."

Gaara was gone in a swirl of sand and Naruto took a deep breath before entering the room. His descent into hell had begun.

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The children were all hyped up today. They were getting a new sensei. Some had heard that he was a badass jounin who had been hurt and was on sick leave. Others had heard that he was a missing nin from another country that Kazekage-sama had convinced to become a Suna nin. Others had heard that it was a beautiful kunoichi who was as deadly as she was good looking. None of them were even close.

They all looked up when they heard the door latch turn. The room grew quiet as the door opened revealing a teenager clad in beige pants, a long sleeved black shirt with a chuunin vest over it and a sleeveless white trench coat with red flames around the bottom. The boys all stared in awe at how young he was. The girls blushed at his looks. The blonde hair was a rarity in Suna, only Temari-sama had blonde hair and it wasn't _that_ blonde. It seemed to fall about his head in a haphazard way and yet framed his face perfectly. Everyone wondered why he had scars on his cheeks and just who he was. They'd never seen him in the village before.

They watched as he crossed the classroom and stopped in front of the desk, dropping the files on top before turning and hopping up to sit on top of the desk with his legs crossed and his hands on his knees. He grinned at them and when they saw his enlarged fangs, they're eyes opened wide. He looked like…a fox. The slanted eyes only made that more prominent although foxes don't have blue eyes…

"Hello class, I'm Uzumaki Naruto, your new sensei. You may address me as Naruto-sensei ok?"

All the children nodded and bade him good morning. Naruto smiled at them before hopping off the desk and standing straight as an arrow, his hands behind his back.

"Now that the pleasantries are out of the way, let me tell you a little about myself. I am the jinchuuriki for the Kyuubi no Yokou. I have a fox demon inside of me just like Kazekage-sama had inside of him. Before any of you freak out, I have the situation under control. I just want you to know that so that if any of you are going to make this a problem, leave now."

He paused to see if any would leave. None did. That was a good sign.

"Good. We might work out all right after all. Tell me, what are the requirements to be a genin of Suna?"

A small girl raised her hand. Naruto nodded for her to speak.

"Um, to do the henge, kawarimi, and bunshin and to also pass a written test."

Naruto nodded and the girl sat down pleased with herself.

"That is correct. That is Suna's graduation exam. But it is not mine."

The kids' eyes flew wide open and their ears perked.

"I don't merely mean to make you genin. I plan to make you ninja. Fully functioning ninja by the time you leave this classroom. You, in the front row, what is in that textbook?"

"History, sir, along with theories on the lower level jutsu."

"Give me that."

The student walked forward and handed Naruto his book. He flipped through it, made a disgusted face, and tossed it on the floor.

"Everyone, take your textbook and toss it into a pile."

Once everyone had complied, he made some seals and burned them with a Katon jutsu. The children all stared in horror. What the hell was this man thinking?

"If you want to study that, do it on your own time. I plan to make you children strong, stronger than the genin in Konoha, stronger than Iwa, stronger than any other genin in this school. When you leave my classroom, you will be able to stomp the shit out of any student from this academy outside this classroom. Fighting amongst yourselves will not be tolerated. Am I clear? If you have an ego, if you're a fan girl or fan boy, if you're just an idiot with a chip on his shoulder, get out. I have no use for you."

"I was an idiot when I was a genin. I thought I had something to prove. I left the academy greener than a grasshopper's ass and thought I was king of the world. Let me tell you kids something. The world isn't fair. I'm the first to admit this. I'm a human sacrifice kids. I've been beaten, I've been tortured, and I've nearly been killed. The ninja world is not pretty and some of you may die. I'm not trying to scare you, but that's the way the world is. Don't think being a ninja is cool, don't think it is noble. It's a job. It's a service to your village. To most you are a tool."

"Personally I don't believe that. Emotion can't be wiped out. It's what makes us human. I want you to know that I don't play favorites. I will be working with each and every one of you personally. This class is a team effort. If you have illusions of grandeur, if you think you're better than your classmates, get out. This is the golden rule of my class. Everyone passes or nobody passes. And we will do this over and over and over again, until everyone passes. Am I clear?"

Every head nodded dumbly. Naruto smiled and his smile made the children relax more.

"I've seen favoritism and what it can do to a team. I won't let that happen to my students. If one of your classmates is struggling, help them. It's better for you in the end. If you can't get your chakra under control, ask someone who's good with control to help you. If you need to build up your reserves, then get with someone who knows ninjutsu. If you suck at hand to hand combat, find a classmate who can kick your ass and work with them. That works the other way around to. Offer to help. Don't sit by idly while someone struggles. If I see you doing that, I'll kick your ass out of this class so fast, even medical jutsu won't be able to take the boot print off your cheeks."

The children all laughed at that and Naruto's smile grew wider.

"Not to say there won't be bookwork or homework assignments. I just prefer to work on the practical things. History, to me, is a hobby. Knowing how many hairs were on the Shodaime Kazekage's ass isn't going to help you midbattle. Knowing how to beat the shit out of your opponent will. Now I'll take questions until we have to leave. Don't tell me your name though. I don't want to know them."

"Why not sensei?"

"Because then that would mean that I had a personal attachment to you and as a sensei who is going to grind you into the ground, I'd rather not know you all personally, otherwise I might decide to go easy on you."

"Are you going to teach us lots of cool jutsu?"

"I have a very limited repertoire at the moment, but I will teach you what I can. Remember kids, a ninja never stops learning. He's always learning something new, something useful. What jutsu I do know are powerful though. At one time, I had the toad contract, but I gave it up when I left my village."

"What village are you from originally?"

"I'm from Konoha. I left there for…personal reasons that I won't divulge to you kids."

"What's the biggest toad you ever summoned?"

"The chief toad GamaBunta."

The children all gasped and began to whisper amongst themselves. Naruto cocked his head and asked what the problem was.

"Nothing sensei, it's just that Kazekage-sama was beaten by a boy who could summon toads during the failed invasion of Konoha. We've heard that he's friends with him now though."

Naruto put on his foxiest grin and put his hands on his hips.

"Yeah I whipped Gaara's ass pretty good."

If the children were dumbstruck before then they were comatose now.

"No way. That was you? You beat the Kazekage?"

"When we were children yes. But I don't want to talk about that now."

"Why not?"

"It's not my place to tell of the defeat of the Kazekage. He's my friend and I won't belittle him by talking about things in the past that don't affect us now."

Naruto looked around the room and saw that their questions were coming to a close.

"Any more questions?"

"Just one. Can you show us your jutsus?"

Naruto grinned and walked to the door. He turned in the doorway.

"Let's take a trip outside real quick. Some of mine can be a bit…destructive."

The kids filed outside quickly and blinked against the nearly noonday sun. Naruto coughed to get their attention.

"I'll show you two of my favorites and after that we'll go home for the day."

Putting his fingers into a familiar cross-shaped seal, he cried out 'Kage Bunshin no Jutsu' and as many clones as there were students popped up. Naruto looked to his students and grinned.

"This is how I'll be teaching each of you personally. I prefer hands on training and teaching so no one will fall behind."

"But sensei, they're just bunshin. They can't help us."

One of the clones frowned and walked over to the boy. Everyone watched as it raised its hand and waited for it to pass through the boy's head. Instead a smacking sound was heard and everyone looked in shock to see the boy holding his head. The clone walked back beside its brethren and smirked.

"As you can see, these are Kage Bunshin, not regular bunshin. They are quite solid and have my knowledge and ability. When they are dispelled I learn everything they learned and I keep the knowledge. They're extremely useful and if I deem that everyone is worth passing and has enough chakra capacity, I shall teach it to you as a parting gift."

The children seemed to be salivating at the chance to learn such a powerful jutsu.

"Sensei, what about the second jutsu?"

"Ah yes, my other favorite. This is difficult to learn and I will not teach any of you this. It takes an insane amount of control and power and you simply aren't ready. Even I can't do it without the aid of a clone."

He held out his right hand and a clone stepped forward. Slowly blue chakra began to form in his hand and took the shape of a sphere as the clone maintained it. Naruto ran toward a large piece of an old wall and thrust the sphere into it, blowing it to smithereens. He clapped his hands to free them of dust and walked back to the group, dismissing his clones. He turned back to the kids and ushered them back inside, ignoring the heads poking out of the windows to see what the hell was going on. Once inside the classroom, he took up his station at the desk again.

"Now look kids, I'm not going to lie to you. This is my first time as a teacher and I don't want to screw up. I promised Gaara that I wouldn't let him down and I intend to start with this class. Suna needs good shinobi, dependable shinobi, and this class has the potential to be one of the best ever. Take the rest of the day off and think about whether you want me as a sensei or not. I'm unorthodox, I'm brash, but if you're willing to learn, I'm willing to help you. If you 'd rather wait till next year when you can have a seasoned chuunin teacher, then I won't blame you. We'll be going by ear here."

"We'll still have tests by the way, but that will be on things I think are important. Personally I think genin exams are a crock. I myself can't create a simple bunshin. I have too much chakra. I have a friend back home who can't use jutsus but he's still one of the best ninja I've ever met and on a good day he could kick anyone's ass from here to Mist and back and never have that smile of his leave his face. We will accentuate your positives and work on your negatives. Remember this class' motto is: No one is left behind. Now get out of here. I got other things to do and a lesson plan to work on."

The children filed out as if in a daze and Naruto left after them, wondering if he was doing the right thing. As soon as the door was closed, a genjutsu dropped and the Sand siblings stood in the corner. Temari turned to Gaara and saw that he was deep in thought.

"So? What do you two think?"

Kankurou took up a thinking pose that looked unnatural on him, but this was an unorthodox thing to begin with.

"I think he'll either make or break these kids. Naruto was always a do or die kind of person. Personally? I think the academy has been due for a shake up like this for years. What do you think Temari?"

"I think he'll do fine. I actually like his approach. It reminds me of Baki-sensei. Gaara, what do you think?"

Gaara didn't answer for several minutes. He just stood there with his arms crossed until that small smile made it onto his face and his siblings stared at him waiting for his answer.

"I hope Naruto bakes another dessert tonight. I seem to have acquired a sweet tooth."

He disappeared in a swirl of sand, leaving two baffled jounin. After the shock wore off, Temari smiled at Kankurou as they walked out of the room.

"He'll do just fine. And I hope he bakes a cake tonight too. That boy's a damn good cook."

Kankurou took a sip out of his canteen.

"Then why don't you rope him and take him out?"

Temari looked up as they walked and waited until Kankurou took another sip of water before answering.

"I just might. I saw him in boxers remember? He has a great ass."

Poor Kankurou nearly died from choking.

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Naruto did indeed bake a cake that night and everyone was very appreciative. He retired early to his room to think about what he'd done that day. He laid on the bed with one arm on his forehead, staring at the ceiling. Had he done the right thing in telling those kids the truth? Had he been too harsh in telling them the ugliness of the world? He sighed and rolled over to look at the clock. It was late and he needed to get to sleep. He rolled back onto his back and sighed again.

'I guess I'll find out in the morning.'


	4. Lecture

And here's Chapter 4. I won't be able to bang these things out like this after today. Gotta go back to work sometime. I'm glad that this story had garnered attention as fast as it has. Not many negative things said about it, and I'm glad for that. Either my work has gotten better or my stories have garnered a reputation. I'd like to think both. Anyhoo, enjoy. Readers, Reviewers, thank you. Voodoo Too. Peace.

**CHAPTER FOUR**

Walking to class was somewhat of a chore for Naruto. It seems that people had heard of his speech to his students and the results were mixed. Most of the ones who he assumed were parents, or people who were the age of the parents of his students, gave him dirty looks. The older folks and ranked ninja gave him appreciative looks. Apparently, being spontaneous and brash was a double-edged sword when it came to teaching. At least they didn't outright hate him.

Walking peacefully was another new experience to him. In fact, most greeted him or gave him a polite nod. Having the Kazekage as a friend was a good benefit apparently. He thought back to the night before and Temari. She had smiled at him more than she usually did and had destroyed his dessert with passion, even growling at Gaara when he tried to take the last piece. Naruto smiled in spite of himself. It wasn't every day you saw Gaara startled like that.

He stepped into the school and greeted everyone he met with a smile. One of his fellow teachers walked up to him and stuck out her hand.

"Hello there. I'm Urameshi Kari. My class is the one down from yours. I have to say, your little…demonstration…yesterday was quite a shocker."

"Is that a good thing or a bad thing Urameshi-san?"

"Kari, please, and that's a good thing. It's nice to have a teacher that the students actually look up to and don't disrespect."

"Look up to? Heh, if they look up to me, they don't know me yet. My students will hate me by the time I'm through with them."

"Why's that?"

"Because of the regimen I'm going to put them through. I'm sorry to cut our conversation short Kari-san, but I have to get to class and so do you. I look forward to speaking with you again."

Kari watched as he paced on down the hall, the heels of his shoes thumping against the wooden floor.

'Interesting guy.'

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Naruto walked into his classroom and took up his position at the desk again. He was pleasantly surprised to see that all his students had shown back up. They were indeed a surprising bunch; he'd expected at least four or five to not come back. He smiled at them and walked to the black board.

"Good morning class."

In unison, they all chanted 'Good morning Naruto-sensei.' His smile grew a little wider. Naruto-sensei. Yeah, he liked the sound of that. He faced them again and put his hands behind his back.

"Now do you all remember what I spoke of yesterday? Good, good. Today will be our first official day of training. I will be with all of you and will do an assessment of your skills. But first, let's all go outside. Follow me."

Opening the door, he turned to see them still in their seats and raised an eyebrow in annoyance.

"MOVE YOUR LAZY ASSES AND GET OUTSIDE!"

They all squeaked and flew past him. Chuckling to himself, he followed them out and found them in a line, facing the building.

"Ah, excellent form. I'm glad that you all know how to stand at attention. Now, to begin you're all going to do five laps around Suna. Once you're done, we'll begin with a few light calisthenics and then you'll sit as I lecture on a topic. Once I'm finished, and it'll be brief since I hate to sit still, we'll begin working with each of you individually. This will be our regimen for the mornings. Now let's go. Follow me."

He heard little to no grumbling as he jogged away. That was good. It seemed that these kids took him seriously. He smirked as he led them on their run around the village, which he was sure would wear them all out. What they didn't know was that their training had already begun. This was to build their endurance. The light calisthenics when they got back were to stretch their bodies out before they got into the heavy stuff. The lecture was because he hated to read textbooks. If his former senseis had only used the approach he was going to use, he wouldn't have been half as pathetic as he had been.

After about two hours, their run was through. Many students looked about ready to collapse but Naruto was proud to see a gleam in their eyes, a look that was filled with determination. He led them through some jumping jacks and stretches and then had them sit in a semi circle around him as he began that morning's lecture.

"Now I'm sure most of you are tired and you rightfully should be. Just remember that all of you are eight years old and are a beginning class. The fact that none of you dropped out of our run speaks wonders about you. I'm proud of all of you. As we go on in the years to come, it will grow easier and we will set new goals to supercede those we have surpassed. I want you to listen carefully as I explain something to you."

Despite their tiredness, he was pleased to see them all lean eagerly in for his lesson.

"Do all of you remember what I told you about shinobi being emotionless tools yesterday? Good, you all remember. I don't believe that, not one bit. Emotions can help you in a fight as much as hinder you. It's simply a matter of knowing when to use them. Anger can blind you, but it can also help you gain strength to win. Sadness can burden you, but it can also drive you to succeed. Do not forsake your emotions, for that is folly."

"I, myself, am a very emotional person. I seem to be driven by them. But I use them to my advantage. Tell me, class, what makes a person strong?"

The answers ranged from ninjutsu to muscles and Naruto sighed in annoyance.

"That is a typical answer. It's true that those things can make you stronger. But they will never allow you to break the glass ceiling and become a great ninja like emotions can. The truth to gaining strength, the real truth, is that to become strong you must protect your precious people. When they are in danger, you can overcome any obstacle to save them. I was told this by a very wise person, who died before their time. I took his words to heart and hold them closely to this day."

"Naruto-sensei, who was this person?"

Naruto smiled sadly and looked toward the scorching sun.

"He was my first friend, someone who I could identify with. His name was Haku and he was the apprentice of 'The Demon of the Bloody Mist' Momochi Zabuza. Haku was a kind, gentle soul and loved his master greatly. He would have done anything to help him achieve his dream and that is what made him strong. But even great ninja fall prey to emotion and in the end, even though we were enemies, he couldn't kill me. His heart was too soft, too kind. And yet, he got strong because of Zabuza."

"Haku was a child thrown away. He came from Mist, where bloodlines were despised and anyone who had one was killed. His mother was from a clan whose line allowed them to manipulate ice. His father killed his mother and then tried to kill him, but Haku slaughtered his father in a moment of panic. He wasn't wanted. Then Zabuza found him, and wanted him for the very thing that everyone else hated him for. Zabuza was not a good man, but he took in an urchin and nurtured him, fed him, clothed him, gave him a purpose. He was precious to Haku, even if it was only for those reasons. With him Haku felt wanted."

"That's not to say Zabuza loved him. Haku was a tool to him, that's what he told Haku and himself. But deep inside, Haku was the son he never had and it pained him to see Haku die. The day Haku died, snow fell in a land that had never seen snow and Zabuza died, wishing with all his heart to see the boy in the next life. I hope he made it there. I hope those two are together and I hope they are happy. Purity. That's what Haku was, pure as the snow and with the snow came a pure start for a country on the brink of decline."

Naruto looked at his students and sniffed.

"I hope you all take Haku's words to heart. Shinobi are not gods, we are men and women, flesh and blood, and we take life and we give life. We love and we hate, we kill and we protect. But never forget that to become strong, you must protect those precious to you. If you aren't strong enough to defeat someone, then it's because you haven't found someone precious enough to you yet. When you go home today, I want you to think about who is precious to you. Tell those people you love them every day, because as a ninja, you never know when your last day will be. Think of those you will leave behind and honor them every day. I'm an orphan. I had no one until I was nearly twelve years old. But here, in Suna, I hope to forge a loving relationship with someone. I want to find precious people here. I have three already, but I want more. Love is meant to be spread, hatred is meant to be contained."

"Never take your life for granted. This is the lesson for today. Think about your goals as a ninja and before that goal, make this your golden rule. Protect those precious to you. If you do that, you will never fail, no matter what you do. And you will all be splendid shinobi."

Naruto looked out over his students and saw that they were all deep in thought. He couldn't believe how good teaching felt. It made his heart swell to know that he was molding these children, that his teachings would guide them in life. Clapping his hands to get their attention, he summoned enough clones so that each child had one.

"Today we will work and see where your chakra control is. Once that is found, we will begin exercises to build up your reserves. We'll work on taijutsu tomorrow. I'm not the best at genjutsu, but I'll find a genjutsu specialist and we'll have them help us. Now then let's split up."

The children all picked a clone and spread out. Some were passable with chakra control, while others were abysmal. A couple actually had rather decent control, but he chalked that up to small reserves. Once it was found where their control level was, Naruto called them all back. The kids stood in a line, awaiting further orders.

"You'll be happy to know we're going back inside for this. We don't have the necessary area to work out here. Now follow me back inside."

Once back inside, Naruto turned to the children.

"Now we're going to work on your control. You're going to climb these walls, with no hands."

Many children looked at him like he was stupid and a couple scoffed. Naruto threw his head back and laughed.

"Don't worry, that was my reaction to this as well. I started on trees, but unfortunately, we don't have that luxury, at least not yet. Perhaps I can do something about that in the future. For now watch me."

The students watched in awe as he walked up the wall and then across the ceiling, standing above them, looking down.

"This will both help build your chakra reserves and build your control. Now then, to avoid any holes in the wall, I want you all to lay on the floor and put your feet on the wall. There won't be any running starts so you'll have to concentrate. Focus the chakra to the bottom of your feet and place your foot on the wall. When you think you have it, gently place your foot on the wall and see what happens. If you feel it begin to stick, and you will feel it, then put more weight on that foot and concentrate on the other while maintaining that level of chakra output. Try to match it in the foot not stuck to the wall and continue onward. The object is to get at least halfway up the wall today. If you can't, don't worry. I'll help you."

The children all lay down and as expected, those with small reserves made it up within several minutes. They could not, however, maintain it for long before flipping to the floor and lying down again. The ones with bad control struggled; they would put a foot on the wall and test, but couldn't seem to get the right level. The clones stood over them, encouraging and giving instructions. As lunchtime rolled around, every student was able to at least get off the floor. They looked discouraged, but as the clones poofed away, Naruto eased their fears.

"Don't worry about getting it on the first day. I didn't learn this until after I was a genin. It's not something that most people learn until later. I want you guys prepared though. Go to lunch and after you come back, we'll start on another lesson. Be back in an hour."

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Naruto walked into Gaara's office just a few minutes past noon and saw that the redhead had a table against the wall laden with fruits and meats. Drooling from the mouth, he headed towards the table only to have a wall of sand appear in front of him.

"It's rude not to announce that you're here before diving in."

"Fine. I'm here. Can I please eat now? I'm starving. Look at me, I'm wasting away."

"I highly doubt that. Bring me a plate over here when you come, I need to finish reading this document."

Naruto piled the plates with as much meat and fruit as he could carry and made his way to Gaara's desk. He swept some documents out of the way and sat Gaara's plate down in front of him, receiving a grunt of appreciation. Or at least he thought it was appreciation. Munching happily on his meal, he waited for Gaara to finish before striking up a conversation. Grumbling under his breath, Gaara signed the paper with a flourish and put it in his out box. He grabbed a slice of cantaloupe and sighed contentedly.

"So, how go things at the school?"

"It's all right. The kids are uncommonly sedate and willing to learn. I don't understand it."

"Perhaps it was your little speech you gave them."

"You heard about that?"

Gaara nodded and reached for a slice of ham.

"From numerous sources. I'd say you scared the stupidity right out of them. That's a good thing though, so don't go getting mopey. It doesn't suit you."

"Well, I just hope I'm doing the right thing. Have any parents complained about me yet?"

"One. He's a grandfather and legal guardian of one of your students. He remembers me way back when I was still a bloodthirsty killer and doesn't like people like you or I. He's stuck in the past and wanted to pull his grandchild out. Of course, I told him where he could go if he didn't like it. He caved with little difficulty."

"You used your sand on him didn't you?"

"People should not be so foolish as to believe that just because I am young, that I am a pushover as Kazekage. I don't take being told what to do very kindly, no matter if they are my elder or not."

"You still shouldn't threaten people Gaara. It'll only reinforce his opinion of us."

Gaara sighed and looked at his friend as he munched on some grapes.

"You're too kind for your own good Naruto. It'll be the death of you someday."

"Perhaps. I'm sorry Gaara but I have to return to class. My clone says that the students returned earlier than I thought."

"Very well. I shall see you this evening perhaps, if my duties don't keep me here all night."

"All right. Later."

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As Naruto walked back to the classroom, he wondered what he could show these kids. He decided that starting with the basics was the best thing to do. Since he'd already made them do control exercises today, they should be able to do henge with no problem. Nodding to himself that that was indeed the correct path to follow, he walked inside to find his classroom in utter chaos. The children were talking and laughing amongst themselves loudly. He gritted his teeth. The clone had dismissed itself prematurely. Next time he'd leave two clones to avoid this. The kids never noticed as he smoothly glided to the desk and leaned against it, his arms folded against his chest.

The more he listened to the pointless banter, the more irritated he became. He thought of using his former sensei's big head jutsu but decided to test the theory that Gaara had that these children actually respected him. As quietly as he could he uttered two words.

"Be still."

As if those were magic words, all the kids turned in their desks and faced forward. It was amazing, the power he held over these children. Only Konohamaru had listened to him with such rapture and attention. He coughed into his hand and looked over all of them.

"We'll begin with our last lesson of the day. You will all learn to perform henge. I will situate you each with a clone and it will show you the necessary seals to perform this jutsu. This is a rudimentary jutsu, as are all the academy graduating standards. However, henge and kawarimi can save your life if need be. They cost relatively little chakra and higher-level shinobi still use these E-class jutsu to this day. In fact, henge was my favorite technique for quite a while. Allow me to give you a demonstration."

Naruto put his hands in the proper seal and transformed into Gaara. In the Kazekage's monotone drawl, he explained the exercise.

"To complete the jutsu, to make it totally effective, it helps if you learn the mannerisms and voice of your preferred target for transformation. If you can replicate everything down to the tiniest twitch of a finger, only a genjutsu master or someone with a doujutsu could tell you weren't the real article. Now then, scatter out around the classroom and prepare to learn."

The children were all assigned a clone and began to perform the necessary seals while Naruto sat at his desk and wrote some things down. These kids would become the model for what an academy student should be. He'd make sure of that. After nearly a half hour, one of his clones poofed out, signifying that a student had completed the jutsu. Naruto glanced up to the girl and motioned for her to come before his desk.

"So you've completed the exercise?"

"Hai sensei."

"Indeed. Perform the henge for me. Transform into me."

The girl made the necessary seals and turned into a perfect copy of Naruto. He nodded and stood up, making his way around the desk.

"A few more examples and I'll assign you a new task. I want you to transform into what I do."

The girl nodded her head and Naruto transformed into Gaara and she followed suit. He turned into Baki and she did that as well. He poofed into Temari and the girl did it mostly well but the hair was slightly discolored. Naruto undid the illusion and sat back down in his chair.

"You have a high degree of control but that is mostly due to low reserves. You performed very well, but when you turned into Temari, you discolored her hair, signifying your chakra was nearly out. Do not perform any more jutsu for the rest of class and let your reserves fill back up. Help out the other students and learn from their mistakes. Watch what they do and give suggestions. Dismissed."

The girl bowed and walked over to a boy who seemed to be struggling. Naruto's clone stepped back and watched the two. The boy seemed grateful for the extra help and soon was able to perform the justu with minimal difficulty. Naruto smiled at his students and continued with his paperwork.

Soon, the day was over and Naruto called for the students to return to their seats. Many flopped down, breathing heavily while his clones dispelled. He walked around in front of the desk and leaned against it.

"Very good. You all did well today. I want you to go home and do as you please this evening with one exception. I want you to try to trick a family member by using the henge. If you can't perform the henge all that well, then practice with your control. Now then, get out of here. I have better things to do than stare at your ugly mugs."

The students beamed at the praise and gave him a 'Hai sensei' before leaving. Naruto shuffled his papers and made as if to leave when he saw the woman from that morning standing in the doorway, leaning against the jamb. He waved to her and said hello.

"You're quite the unorthodox one aren't you Naruto-san? I was walking by and saw the students all laid on the floor with a copy of you standing over them. Tell me, what were you doing?"

"That's a trade secret. How is your class?"

"My class is fine. They're coming along quite nicely although they hate my lectures. They say history is boring."

"I agree. I gave my class a lecture on emotions and shinobi today. They actually seemed interested in what I had to say. It's quite an experience molding minds."

"Indeed. Well, I suppose I've kept you long enough. I shall see you tomorrow I suppose. Good evening Naruto-san."

"Good bye Kari-san."

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After another spectacular dinner, Naruto sat on the roof of the compound, staring out over the desert. He was lost in thought again, a strange occurrence considering who he was. He had been reading one of his father's scrolls on jutsus and was eager to try them, but between the academy and cooking for his housemates, he didn't have any time left. He sighed and looked up into the stars. He supposed even the stars could feel lost sometimes. He heard the crunch of a shoe behind him and didn't bother to turn around. Her scent carried on the wind.

"Hey Temari. Need something?"

She settled down beside him and pulled her knees to her chest, wrapping her arms around them.

"No I don't need anything. I just wanted to see if you wanted some company. You've been unusually quiet lately."

"I've had a lot to think about lately."

"That's true. I don't think I've asked you yet how you like it here."

"I like it very much. It's less green than Konoha, but the people are nicer to me. Besides, if I can make it work, it'll be a lot greener around here someday."

She looked at him like he had two heads.

"What does that mean?"

He gave her a foxy grin that showed his fangs.

"That's a secret. You'll be the first to find out though if it works, I promise."

"Hmph, everything's a secret with you. I heard about your teaching regimen today."

"Word gets out fast huh?"

"With those gossipy little brats of yours it does. They're all so excited to have a sensei that's not afraid to tell them the truth. Word around the campfire is that you have quite a few pairs of eyes on you, both professionally and otherwise."

Naruto cocked an eyebrow and looked at her quizzically.

"What's that mean?"

She smirked at him and looked at the stars.

"That's a secret."

"Look who's being a hypocrite. You get onto me for being secretive and yet here you are keeping secrets. Sounds like a double standard to me."

"Well you know the exchange for secrets. I'll tell mine if you tell yours."

"Nah, I can live without your secret. Besides, we'll both find out eventually what the other meant."

"Asshole."

"Ah, you love it."

The two sat in relative silence for what seemed like forever. Both marveling at how at ease they were around the other. Comfortable silence, didn't someone say something about that sometime or other? Soon enough Temari sighed and rested her chin on her arms.

"I have to go to Konoha tomorrow to give them our reports and get theirs. Anything you'd like me to tell the old lady?"

"Just that I'm doing all right and that I miss her. If you see a one armed pervert tell him I miss him too."

Temari laughed softly and turned her attention back to the desert. It looked so different at night, not at all the scalding, torturous wasteland it was during the day. She looked over at her companion and took in his facial features. He'd grown since she last saw him again. He was taller and that baby fat was disappearing rapidly. He'd gotten more handsome. Stronger too. Suddenly Kankurou's suggestion didn't sound so crazy. It might be fun to have a guy like Naruto as a boyfriend. He'd be a challenge to her, unafraid to bear her judgment and punishment. Hell, she'd bashed him over the head numerous times in the past days he'd stayed at the compound and he just brushed them off and kept picking with her.

With that thought in mind, Temari made a decision. She was the daughter of a former Kazekage, the sister of the current Kazekage, and one of the most powerful jounin in the military. Having a boy who wasn't afraid of her and was stronger than her as a boyfriend was a damn good idea. It was just a bonus that he was good-looking and smarter than he let on. She jumped to her feet, the sudden motion startling Naruto. When he asked her what was wrong she merely smiled down at him and held out her hand. He took it and she lifted him up.

"Say Naruto, you ever had a girlfriend?"

Taken aback by the abrupt question, he managed to stammer out a no.

"How about dates? Ever been on a date?"

Another no.

"Wanna go on one with me?"

If the boy was stuttering earlier, he was speechless now. A beautiful, deadly kunoichi asking him on a date? What alternate dimension had he stumbled into? Temari took his silence as hesitation and growled, grabbing him by the shirt collar.

"Look Naruto, I'm the daughter of a Kazekage and the sister of the current one. I'm used to getting what I want and you're no exception. Now I want you to take me on a date and you're going to like it."

This little proclamation snapped Naruto out of his muddled thoughts and brought back some of that bravado he was famous for. He narrowed his eyes and spoke in a haughty voice.

"And since when have I cared who someone was related to or what their name was? You don't scare me."

Temari smirked at him and let go of his collar.

"That's what I like about you Naruto, blunt and to the point. When I get back I expect you to take me out to dinner and a movie. And you can't be late since we live in the same house. It's brilliant."

"I don't believe I ever agreed to this little escapade."

Temari's smirk grew wider (if that was possible) and sauntered over to him, her hips swinging seductively. Naruto gulped when her hand found its way to his cheek and pressed against his face as she fluttered her eyelashes.

"But Naruto, I wanted to go on a date with you. Please? Pretty please?"

She did a victory dance in her head when the poor boy nodded dumbly and she released the hold on his cheek, patting it a couple of times.

"See, that wasn't so hard now was it? You're a good guy Naruto and I expect to be treated like a queen."

Naruto smiled and rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. He couldn't believe he let himself be suckered like that.

"Is there any other way to treat a lady?"

Temari smiled softly before going back downstairs to her room.

"For your sake there better not be another way. You know what I'll do to you afterwards, and that's after I make you promise on a make up date."

She smiled sweetly while she gave her threat and walked downstairs to her bedroom. Naruto sighed in defeat and lay back again to stare at the stars. It seemed a few winked at him, as if they were laughing merrily at his predicament. He walked downstairs and was just about to open his door when Temari poked her head out of hers.

"Oh, before I forget, you have to dress nice too. We're going to a really nice restaurant."

Naruto started to protest before she shut the door and went back to sleep. He grimaced and opened his door, locking it behind him. As he lay down on the bed, he could have sworn he heard the puppet master next door snickering through his wall. Damned eavesdroppers. He picked up his mother's scroll on gardening again and smiled. If he could get a plot of land and the jutsu worked, he'd plant a lot of flowers.

'Wonder what Temari's favorite flower is?'


	5. Ambassador Temari

And here's Chapter 5. I had to spread the updates out a little bit between stories. I was banging them out so quickly over the holidays, the updates were too close for my normal schedule. Hopefully, for you guys, it was worth the wait. Readers, Reviewers, thank you...Up All Night.

**CHAPTER FIVE**

Naruto had begun the day by getting to the academy ahead of the students and watching as they filed in while he stood upside down on the ceiling. Being spontaneous as an instructor was pivotal to his approach. If he did the unexpected, his students would never be bored, always wondering what he was going to do next. With that in mind he waited and watched as all his students faced the front, waiting for him to come in. Smiling at their willingness to learn, he cut off the chakra to his feet and dropped to the floor.

To say the children were surprised to see their teacher fall from the sky was an understatement. Necks immediately cracked upwards to see where the hole in the roof was that he had come through. Not finding one, their eyes asked the unspoken question. Naruto chuckled and put his hands behind his back.

"Well then, good morning class."

"Good morning Naruto-sensei."

"Good to see you all. Did you all do your assignment last night?"

Heads nodded, indicating that most were able to pull it off. Some heads hung in defeat, since they hadn't managed to trick their families. Naruto scowled and clapped his hands.

"Now, now, we won't be having any heads hanging in my classroom. You're all beginners and if you didn't do it the first time, keep trying until you do. I don't ask for anything other than you try. Now then, I'm going to make clones and I want you to show them that you can henge into at least three different shapes. If you have any trouble, they will assist you."

He quickly made the clones and they began to watch the children. A couple struggled and were straightened out soon enough. The problem was either too much or too little chakra. Once their little problem was stomped out, Naruto clapped his hands and the class faced him again.

"Ok, we're going for our morning run now. Everyone outside and do five laps around the village."

The children complied again and ran around the village. They finished their run and stood in a line, some puffing, some huffing, all tired. Naruto led them through their calisthenics and told them to sit.

"All right kiddies. Today, we're going to be doing taijutsu. Now, personally, I have no style. I'm a brawler by nature. I go in and I try to beat the crap out of the other guy. If I get hit, I get hit. But that's me. I'm going to be taking notes on you. I want you all to pick a partner and spar, light contact only. Many of you are from families of ninja and I'm sure you've been shown some form of martial art. Maybe soon, I can get an assistant that can help with taijutsu forms. We'll worry about that later though. Now, split up."

The kids broke into pairs and began to spar, with a Naruto for each couple. This continued until lunchtime, when Naruto went to Gaara's office. It was quickly becoming a habit for the jinchuuriki. With lunchtime over, Naruto motioned for the kids to lie on the floor and try to walk up the wall again. The next day would be covering the hand seals. He'd only shown them how to make the henge; he hadn't shown them the seals and the proper usage of them. He'd rectify that tomorrow. He sighed and looked out over his students.

'I wonder how Temari is doing?'

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Said kunoichi had finally arrived in Konoha and was walking to the Hokage's office. Konoha was no longer one of her favorite places. This was a village that had turned its back on one of her most treasured people. Naruto was a savior to the people of Suna. He had done so much for Gaara and had asked for nothing in return. The people of Suna, well most of them, treated him like a hero. Here in Konoha, he was a reminder of the past, a reviled thing no matter what he did. Hell, Gaara had killed people, his own people, in the past and the citizens of Suna mostly forgave him.

Temari nodded absentmindedly to the people as she passed. Her thoughts weren't with Konoha at the moment. A sudden realization made her cringe. She'd have to meet all of Naruto's friends at some point and the only ones she didn't mind were that Hyuuga girl and Shikamaru. The thought of the lazy chuunin brought a smirk to her face. To think she used to have a small crush on the lazy ass. She sighed as she came before the door of the Hokage tower. She wasn't looking forward to this.

Tsunade had been worried ever since Naruto left. She'd been so relieved when she received Gaara's note that he had arrived safely, but had yet to hear anything else about her favorite blonde. He'd been gone a little over two weeks and she was already tired of her job. She hadn't realized how much the boy made her appreciate what she did. His desire to be in her position made her continue on every day. Without him there to prod her though, she simply didn't have the drive or motivation. Perhaps it was time to pass it on to someone else. She laid her head on her desk and sighed heavily. Maybe she could move to Suna too…

Temari opened the door after receiving the ok from Shizune. She had been expecting Tsunade to be asleep, as she'd found her like that several times. She was not expecting to find a depressed woman sighing into the veneer of her table. Temari coughed into her hand and shut the door behind her. Tsunade raised her head off the desk, her vision obscured by a paper stuck to her forehead. She growled and grabbed the offending object, balling it up and throwing it across the room. Temari smiled at her childishness and took a seat.

"Come now Tsunade-sama, did the paperwork really deserve that?"

Tsunade glared at the kunoichi in front of her, trying to melt her head with her stare. She hadn't wanted to be disturbed by anyone and had thought she had told Shizune that. It was then that it dawned on her that Temari could give her an update on Naruto. Her face lit up and she smiled at Temari, slightly frightening the other blonde due to the mood swing.

"How is Naruto? Is he doing all right? How's Suna taking him? He hasn't done anything stupid has he?"

Temari sat there dumbfounded for a moment. She'd known that the Hokage liked Naruto but to the extent of wanting to talk to him above diplomacy? Who'd have thought?

"Don't you believe that we should talk about business first Tsunade-sama?"

"Screw business. I want to know how Naruto is doing. I could care less if this village burnt to the ground at the moment."

Temari gasped and looked hard at the older woman.

"Tsunade-sama! That is most improper for one of your station."

Tsunade sighed and leaned back in her chair.

"Temari, please, just tell me how he's doing."

Temari smirked and suppressed a giggled. She couldn't wait to tell the old bat this.

"We have him teaching at the academy."

Silence. Total silence. Silence from Tsunade. Silence from an eavesdropping Shizune. Silence from the hidden ANBU in the corner. The only thought going through the three's mind at the moment was…

"What the hell are you all thinking? You can't put him with children! He'll have them all being perverted within a month!"

Temari snorted and crossed her legs.

"Oh please Tsunade-sama, you don't believe that. Besides, believe it or not, he's actually an excellent teacher. He's even got the brats working on walking up walls as we speak. The second day he taught them all henge. And the lectures he gives…if I'd had him as a teacher, I'd have wanted to go to school every day."

Tsunade sat back, thoroughly confused.

"Lectures? Naruto? No way in hell. He's way too impatient to talk about any subject for too long."

"It's true. In fact, he's really passionate about things. He burned all the class' history books the first day. Said if they wanted to learn about history, do it on their own time. He'd be teaching them how to be ninja. His first lecture was on emotions and the use of them in battle and life."

Tsunade sat there, a disbelieving look on her face. Finally, after many stone faced moments, she called for Shizune. The brunette peeked in cautiously and asked what she wanted.

"I want you to gather all Naruto's friends, the council, and the jounin senseis. If this is true, then they have to hear this. Besides, this way Temari won't have to repeat it a billion times."

Temari smiled at the older woman's deviousness. This wasn't for Temari's benefit, it was for Tsunade's. This was her way of rubbing it in their faces that they had made a damn fine man an outcast amongst his peers and had driven him away from his home village to a place where he was appreciated. To a village where the children looked up to and respected him. He'd been in Suna less than two weeks and already was becoming quite the talk-about subject. Almost immediately, Jiraiya had appeared. If something was said about his apprentice, then by God, he was going to hear it.

Temari watched as they all filed in, the young, the old, the teachers, the detractors, and the friends. They all lined against the wall and suddenly, she felt…vulnerable. She was about to talk about a boy that she only knew in passing before and as a friend and housemate now. In truth, she knew very little about the mystery that was Uzumaki Naruto but she wanted to know. Oh, how she wanted to know. She smiled inside her mind. Now, she'd have all the time in the world. She faced the Hokage when the older woman coughed into her hand.

"Now then Temari, let's begin again. What is Naruto's capacity in Suna?"

'This ought to be good for a few laughs.' Thought Tsunade.

"Naruto's capacity is that of a chuunin school teacher."

A cricket would not have dared to break the silence that permeated the air in that office. Not until one Nara Shikamaru snorted and gave his opinion in his usual slow drawl.

"Uzumaki Naruto, a teacher? Pffftt, that'll be the day. Now what does he really do?"

"Shikamaru, he really is a teacher, and from what I've seen, he's one of the best we've ever had. The kids love him."

Shikamaru knew then that it wasn't a lie, it wasn't a joke. Temari was simply incapable of delivering a joke when in the presence of so many important people. She was all business, although her eyes held a mirthful glint, like she was enjoying this.

'So troublesome…'

"Ahem…now that we have that out of the way. Temari, continue with your…analysis."

"Thank you Hokage-sama. Naruto is coming along nicely from what I've seen. The people of Suna have taken to him very well and so have his students. He gave them a lecture the first day about the dangers of being a ninja and gave them a chance to wait for another teacher. All of the students were back the next day. He's currently teaching them the basic ninja techniques and advanced chakra control."

Sakura spoke up when chakra control was mentioned. That wasn't Naruto's strong suit.

"What do you mean by advanced? How old are his students?"

"He's teaching them to walk up walls. And they're eight. He has a beginning class."

This caused a slight uproar among those present, particularly the council. How could the people of Suna let that…_boy_…teach their children? He wasn't fit to do anything but missions. Even his friends seemed to doubt his abilities. Temari and Tsunade were fast becoming sick of it.

"Enough. Quiet down, all of you. Continue Temari."

"Naruto _is_ a teacher and he's a damn fine one. I believe that his crop of genin will be some of the best to ever come out of the academy. His teaching style is just as unorthodox as he is and he has the full support of my brother. But enough about his job. You're all here to find out how he is doing as a citizen no doubt."

"Naruto currently lives in my family's compound with me and Kankurou. He's trying to find a plot of land though, to build a house for himself. Hee hee, the guy currently is the resident cook for me and my brothers."

A deadpan look was her answer. Shizune, who had seen the boy's eating habits, decided to speak up.

"Cooking? Cooking was never one of Naruto's strong points."

"Well, I'd love to see him make it a strong point, because what he cooks is goddamn _delicious_. The desserts, oh my God, the _cakes_! If relationships were built solely off sweets, I'd have married that boy a long time ago…"

Tsunade snorted and tried to hold back her laughter. Seeing a strong jounin like Temari about to wet herself over cake was quite a sight indeed. Temari looked startled, and blushed prettily before continuing with her assessment.

"Um, yes, well…anyway, he's quite a guy. All he does, besides teaching, is study and try to find new methods of helping the students."

Homura stepped forward and 'harumphed' into his hand. Tsunade still hadn't forgiven the old fart for running her Naruto off. If it weren't for him and the rest of the council, her favorite blonde would still be causing mischief in Konoha instead of teaching brats in Suna. Hell, he could have done that here.

"Tell me Temari-san. What is your opinion of Uzumaki Naruto? A personal opinion, not a professional one."

Temari sat and thought for a moment. As stated before, she didn't know much of Naruto, except that he was strong, kind, and was her brother's best friend. But she _would_ get to know him better. She turned and flashed the group behind her a grin.

"I just know he's Naruto. I'll tell you more after my date with him."

Several of the kunoichi in the room nearly cried out in protest. The guys all sat in disbelief, Shikamaru chief among them. Tsunade and Jiraiya seemed to get the most satisfaction out of the situation. Kakashi had a discernible look on his face, but from the mask or complete apathy, Temari couldn't tell. Hinata looked as if she was about to cry and Sakura looked…despondent and slightly angry. Well from what Temari had heard, the pinkette had had more than enough chances and the Hyuuga was just too shy to act on hers. Too bad for them. Their loss, her gain.

"I think that is all I will tell you of Naruto for the time being. There is no need to tell you anything else other than he seems to be flourishing in Suna. That's all."

Tsunade, seeing that she would get nothing else out of the girl in front of the crowd, dismissed them with a wave of her hand. Many left grumbling, dissatisfied with the explanation they had been given. Hinata approached Temari before she left and bowed to the blonde.

"Please take care of Naruto-kun. He deserves to be happy."

She left without a look back, leaving a stunned Tsunade and Temari. The girl never showed initiative in anything, so that show of concern for Naruto, in public no less, was something new. Still, it was refreshing to Temari to see that some were actually concerned about her housemate and weren't indifferent or outright hostile. She turned back to the Hokage with a smile on her face.

"Do you think my answers were satisfactory for them?"

"Not in the least. Now, you're going to tell Jiraiya and me what he's actually been up to. I know that was the abridged version."

Temari spent the rest of the evening telling the two Sannin what their younger counterpart was up to. They laughed at her stories about mealtime at the compound and silently praised Naruto for trying to make ninja instead of genin. Tsunade was not happy about his desire to pass on his Kage Bunshin, but didn't think he would in the end anyway. Academy students simply didn't have the chakra capacity for the jutsu.

Jiraiya was quite proud of his student and made a point in his mind to visit him soon to see the fledgling teacher for himself. That would be a hell of a sight, Naruto preaching about ninja code and jutsus to a bunch of starry-eyed brats. He snickered under his breath, making the two blondes face him, wondering what the hell he was laughing about. He waved his hand dismissively.

"I was just imagining Naruto as a teacher. It still makes me laugh since he wasn't exactly a model academy student."

Tsunade chuckled as well, but Temari frowned. Didn't these people have any faith in Naruto? Seriously, he wasn't a bad teacher.

"Don't laugh at him. He's actually a really good teacher and the kids respect him, which doesn't happen often in academies."

Jiraiya raised an eyebrow and smirked at the girl.

"Oh? Getting mighty defensive of my student aren't you? I happen to know that he's a moron and as for your motion that he can cook, I sure as hell never saw it during our training trip."

Now Jiraiya did not get to where he is by being stupid. He's quite devious and not above pushing buttons to get information. And Temari made such an easy target…

"He is not stupid! And for your information, he's a wonderful cook, much better than my brothers or me. His cakes are so good I ate one by myself and had a tummy ache for the rest of…"

She trailed off at the end and glared at the two older people, one who was guffawing without shame, the other who was biting her lip, trying not to laugh at the poor girl. Tsunade was able to reign in her laughter, just barely, when Temari huffed and crossed her arms like a child.

"Now, now, Temari, don't pout. We were just teasing you. Although, it seems you've fallen prey to Naruto's natural charms."

"Natural charms?"

Tsunade smirked and folded her hands in front of her face.

"Why, yes. It's the same reason Hinata found him irresistible for years. He just has a way with people when you actually get to know him. If you look beyond his bubbly exterior and see that he's actually an insecure individual who just wants to be loved, it makes knowing him all the more fulfilling, because you're helping him just by being there."

Temari sat and pondered on that. It was true that the more time she spent with Naruto, the more he opened up to her. But that was everybody in general. She cocked an eyebrow in surprise when the two older ninja in front of her got serious all of a sudden.

"As far as your date with Naruto, let me make it clear that if you intend to harm him in any way or get his hopes up and then dash them like glass on rocks, we will personally end you. Do you understand?"

Temari nodded dumbly.

"Bit overprotective aren't you?"

"Not in the least. That boy is my godchild and even though I'm not the best parental figure, I still try to look after him."

Jiraiya gave her a perverted leer and Temari was immediately wary.

"Although I must say, the boy has impeccable taste. You are a delicious young thing."

Once Jiraiya's screams couldn't be heard over the distance Tsunade had flung him, she turned back to her desk and put her face in her hands.

"Why, oh why, do I put up with that idiot and this village?"

Temari could only nod in silent agreement.

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After nearly a week in Konoha, the kunoichi was happy to get back to her native land. She loved the atmosphere of Konoha, it was peaceful and the scents of the different flowers were intoxicating, but the winds of the desert and the warmth of the sun on her skin always made her feel at home. She wondered idly as she walked what the rest of her bunch was up to. Gaara was more than likely up to his ears in paperwork; Kankurou was probably playing with his dolls, and Naruto should have been able to teach the children all about hand signs by now and maybe gotten them started on Kawarimi. Her smile widened when she remembered that she had a date with him.

She looked at the position of the sun and it was still early morning. At her rate of travel, she'd arrive back in Suna in the morning. If she was lucky, maybe she could catch one of Naruto's lectures and see how he was still doing with the students. Listening to those lectures of his was a good way to pass the time. The boy had such a hypnotic voice and the way he passionately made sure the kids understood was so cool. Yeah, she'd definitely try to catch his lecture.

As she sat in her hotel room, in the town right outside the Suna border, she wondered about her past life and why she'd never had a love interest. It hadn't been for lack of wanting, but with Gaara's reputation she'd never had a guy brave enough to approach her. Shikamaru did, but that was purely out of duty and he knew that Naruto could stop Gaara if he tried anything. Her reputation as a tough bitch hadn't helped either but then, you garner that when you're a Suna kunoichi. It just comes with the headband.

She sighed when she thought of her past. Everything she had at the moment was thanks to that blonde idiot and he didn't think anything of it. He was so clueless as to just how much he changed people he met. To him, Gaara was just another person that was lonely, he wasn't a soulless killer, he was just another who had been driven to the brink of insanity and needed someone to help him. But that was everyone he came across. Naruto was totally incapable of helping himself however. He lived to make others happy. That thought made her frown. He was the epitome of the jinchuurikis. He sacrificed himself to make others happy. And she was going to change that. Even if things didn't work out between them, she wouldn't let him throw away his happiness just so he could sit on the sidelines and watch as everyone else laughed and loved together.

Temari's sleep had been fitful. Her thoughts were consuming her and this wasn't what she wanted, especially before a big date. Or a little date at least. She wanted to have fun, and with Naruto, that was a very big possibility. Of course, since it was Naruto, there was also the prospect that her evening would end with her beating the hell out of him. Either way, at least her evening wouldn't be boring.

Temari didn't even bother stopping at the gates of Suna. She flashed her pass, although it wasn't necessary since everyone knew who she was and looked up at the sky. Perfect. If Naruto still had his schedule, then she'd just catch the beginning of his lecture. Gaara wouldn't mind much.

She slid beside the building and peeked around the corner. Good. Naruto and the kids had just finished their morning run and would soon be done with their calisthenics. Then…lecture time. Deciding there was no need to hide, she leaned against the building and watched as her fellow blonde led the children through some stretches. She was reminded of her own education watching them all. Of course, her father being Kazekage led to her having a private tutor in Baki, along with her brothers. She hadn't had much interaction with kids her own age and that hurt. But seeing all these young ones trying made her smile. She watched as they all sat in a semicircle around Naruto. Show time.

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Naruto had been having a good week. The kids' training was coming along nicely and they hadn't complained when he suggested they study history in their spare time. To him it wasn't important, but then again, it never hurt to study past battles and apply it to your current strategy. It never hurt to learn _anything_ and that was something he tried to impart to his students. Jiraiya was a perfect example of a ninja never stopping learning. The old hermit was fascinated with his Oiroke no jutsu and tried multiple times to use it, but to no avail. It didn't mean he stopped learning though.

Naruto looked out over his students and beamed them a smile. He still refused to learn their names but he was quite proud of them. The other academy teachers had requested that he alert them when he was about to give a lecture, for what purpose Naruto didn't know. He made a few Kage Bunshins to go and tell the teachers he was ready and that's when he saw Temari. Several of the younger kunoichi saw her as well and were excited to see the sister of the Kazekage and a powerful jounin in her own right. He smirked and motioned for her to come over.

Temari walked over as smoothly as she could, trying to make it seem like she was uninterested while trying to swing her hips as seductively as she could while being subtle. The kids wouldn't pick up on the body language, but Naruto sure as hell did. He'd hung around a perverted ninja too much not to notice that walk. He didn't let it faze him too long though and he smiled at his housemate.

"Hello Temari. Come to see the crop of students?"

"Actually I've come to listen to one of your infamous lectures. They've gained quite a reputation and I want to hear at least one."

"Ok. I didn't know they were that popular. I have to wait for the other teachers though. They wanted me for something. Hang around and I'll take you to lunch."

Many of the students began to catcall at his offer and were immediately shushed by a stern glare from their teacher. Temari blushed slightly at the insinuation but caught herself enough to offer her own glare at the kids and walk back to her position at the wall, muttering about stupid brats. Naruto wasn't sure if that was aimed at his students or at him.

After a few more minutes, the other teachers all came out with their students and sat behind Naruto's own. Temari quirked an eyebrow at the audience he had. Surely, his lectures weren't that great? They were good, but to empty the school just to listen to one? That was unheard of. She watched with slight trepidation as Urameshi Kari approached Naruto with a smile.

"We're ready when you are Naruto-san."

Naruto looked at her perplexed. He truly didn't know what was going on.

"Ready for what? Why did you all request I get you before my lecture?"

"Why, because we wanted our students to listen to it. And it might give us some pointers so we can spice up our own lectures. Just be yourself and lecture about the subject you had in store for your students. Do us proud."

Naruto gulped and straightened his back. He'd never had an audience of this size. It was one thing to preach to his own students, it was quite another to lecture to impressionable students who were the responsibility of others. He turned back to Temari and she gave him a reassuring smile and waved her hand in a circular motion, beckoning for him to begin. He sighed and turned back to the crowd.

"Let me first thank all of you for taking time out of your schedules to come and hear what I have to say. I hope that I live up to your expectations. For those students who don't know me, I am Uzumaki Naruto, container of the Kyuubi. I am a former resident of Konoha, but I am now a Suna nin. It is my pleasure to speak to you today. I would like to speak to you all about loyalty to one's village and comrades today."

Temari's eyes flew wide open. 'Oh yes, this will be most interesting. Perhaps I should send for Gaara.'

There was no need. As if on cue, her brother appeared at her side. He nodded to her and turned his attention to his best friend.

"I come from a village that espouses teamwork and loyalty above all else. And if I do say so myself, Konoha is pretty damn good at sticking to its guns. But there are glaring instances of shinobi going against that creed. I used to have a teammate by the name of Uchiha Sasuke, a holder of the Sharingan. We hated each other, but over time we began to get closer. His older brother wiped out his clan and he wanted to kill him. Sasuke would do anything to gain power to kill him, even if it meant selling his soul and betraying his village."

"I grew up with no one loving me, no one taking care of me. Sasuke had it all. People doting all over him, teachers lining up to take him as a pupil, a large inheritance, but he didn't care for any of it. As an Uchiha, he thought he was entitled to those things. Everything was given to him. I don't agree with that and I never have. Being given things breeds arrogance and the philosophy that you are better than everyone else. There is a subtle grace to learning something, attaining it the hard way. It makes you appreciate what you have more. And being taught breeds loyalty."

"Being taught means someone has a vested interest in you and your welfare. Being taught means you are worthwhile and therefore, you are loyal to that person because they take interest in you. I had a teacher in Konoha like that. I was the dead last, a word I hate and loathe with all my being. I hate the word prodigy, I hate the word genius. I had a teacher who didn't subscribe to that either and he has my undying loyalty because he took an interest in me. Not much of one at first, but enough to show me that I was important. That I wasn't a nobody. I was Uzumaki Naruto and I meant something."

"Then came my next teacher. He was and is one of the laziest people I've ever met. He didn't want to be a teacher and only passed us because we somehow overcame his expectations and actually tried to help one another. One of those who espoused teamwork over everything. But aside from chakra control, he never taught me anything. But I was loyal to him because he noticed me. He…wasn't the best person in the world but he actually called me by my name. He didn't call me names."

"But then he cast me aside to a different teacher that didn't want me. And my trust in him was shattered. But I still wanted acceptance and so my loyalty stood. Then my substitute teacher lost a one sided fight with my master. I call him master because he is the only true teacher I've ever had. Jiraiya of the Sannin is my master. I'd never admit that to his face of course, but I am loyal to him without question. It's been said that I would do anything to help my friends and that is true. I'd fight the Shinigami himself if I thought it would save my precious people."

"Notice that I never once said that I was loyal to Konoha. I was loyal to the people in it. That village never gave me a damn thing and yet I still wanted to protect the people. You'd think that, it being one of their Yondaime's final wishes, that the people of Konoha would see me as a hero and not as a monster. But that is the fate of a jinchuuriki, to be hated and reviled, even as we struggle to maintain our humanity in the face of adversity. It's been said that a person is smart. You can tell an individual something and if they're given adequate time to weigh what they hear, they can form a rational opinion. People are dumb, stupid, ignorant animals and together, they can bring even the most virtuous and righteous of men to their knees."

"Listen to me when I say it is good to be loyal to your village. It is your home and you should always protect it with everything you have. But without your precious people, a village is just a collection of buildings, a place where people live and sleep, and it will never be a home to you. But, love just one person and a village of enemies can become a sanctuary of the heart."

Suddenly Naruto felt very heavy. He sat on the ground and crossed his legs. He sighed before starting again.

"That's not to say that loyalty and friendship are always rewarded. Loyalty is different from devotion. Devotion is blindly following after something and never seeing the bad in it. I did that when I was younger with one of my teammates. I chased her and was oblivious to the fact of how pathetic it made me seem. But still I protected my teammates against insurmountable odds and never once received a thank you. And despite my bubbly façade on the surface, I was quite bitter on the inside. It seemed that no matter what I did, my loyalties would never be returned."

"And then Sasuke defected to Orochimaru. The same man who tried to destroy our home, all because of a promise of power. The price of said power was his body and mind and yet he didn't care. As long as his brother died. And so our bonds were broken. And like an idiot, I kept trying to reshape those bonds and bring him back. I couldn't accept that he would willingly betray his village. And I had made a promise to my crush and I couldn't break that bond either. That was how my loyalties lay."

"But of course, my story is complicated and there are many variables that I haven't brought to the surface. The point of the lecture is that loyalty takes both sides being true to one another. Trust is the key. If you trust your comrades with your life and they can trust you with theirs, then you have their loyalty and you have theirs. If you can trust your village never to betray you, and you show that you will never betray it, you both are loyal to one another. But loyalty is a two way street and both sides have to be willing to walk it."

"Remember when you leave today, that trust and loyalty are some of the hardest things to attain and some of the easiest things to break. One incident is all it takes to completely shatter whatever bonds you had with those precious to you. And that trust and loyalty may never be rebuilt. And if it is, it will take a long time. That's a sad truth, but it is a truth nonetheless. I want all of you to think on this."

Naruto looked around and all eyes were on him. The children sat in awe at the frank discussion and even the teachers were impressed. Naruto sighed and smiled at the throng. Sometimes he felt so old…

"Remember to protect those precious to you. I say that quite a lot, but it is a rule to live by. Remain true to your ideals and your loyalty will never be questioned. And if anyone ever questions your loyalty, work twice as hard to prove you are the better man. Do not sink to their level, questioning a fellow ninja's integrity. If there is one thing I cannot stand, it is a traitor to one's village and friends. If any of you ever turn on our home…"

At this, Naruto channeled a fraction of the Kyuubi's power to change his appearance and give his voice that demonic edge. Everyone in attendance, except the Sand siblings, were frightened at the sense of power. When he wanted a point across, he'd get the point across.

**I will have no mercy upon you. I will request to be the one to hunt you down. All of you children are vital to this village's survival. Do not let visions of grandeur and false power lure you into betrayal. Do not fall into the trappings of other's more foolish than you.**

Naruto let the demonic chakra fade and watched as the audience caught their breath. To their credit, the kids looked awestruck. Perhaps, there was hope for him here if they were so understanding.

"I'm sorry if I frightened you, but you must understand that I will not tolerate traitors. You were taught to be ninja; the best of the best, in this village and you should never abandon it. If things don't go as you wish, try to change it. Don't run from your problems. Face them head on and I'll always be proud of you. Now I'm going to lunch and I suggest you do to. I'm starving."

Whatever tension was in the air dissipated immediately. The teachers all chuckled and ushered the kids back inside. Naruto strode to the Sand siblings and put his hands on his hips while giving them a foxy grin.

"Well? How'd I do?"

Gaara 'hmmphed' and nodded his head. It had been a good speech. Temari smirked at him and crossed her arms under her chest.

"Was the demonic chakra necessary? Some of them might have pissed their pants."

"They need to understand the dangers of running off and betraying the village. If someone had threatened Sasuke like that, I don't think he ever would have left."

Gaara sighed and shook his head.

"In any event, you two come to my office and we'll have lunch before you return to your class Naruto. Temari, you have to give me your report anyway."

Gaara shunshined away, leaving the two blondes. Temari threw an arm around Naruto's neck and grinned.

"And after class, you and I have to discuss the particulars of our date. I hope you've been saving up while I've been gone. I have expensive tastes."

She too disappeared. Naruto stood blinking for a moment before sighing.

'Why did I ever agree to that?'

There was no answer as he shunshined away. But the wind seemed to carry a lilting laughter on it at the jinchuuriki's plight.


	6. Whatcha Cookin', Good Lookin'

And here's Chaper 6. I'm going to really get into the swing of things with Naruto's training starting next chapter. This one gets the ball rolling with his relationship with Temari and provides a sneak peek at his training regimen. Hope you guys like it. Readers, Reviewers, thank you...Sidewinder.

**CHAPTER SIX**

Lunch with Gaara was always a blast, one way or another. Usually Naruto would just talk and Gaara would listen while doing paperwork, but occasionally he would ask Naruto's opinion on a document. That always brought a smile to his face. Currently, however, said blonde did not have a smile on his face and was quite displeased with how Temari's report was going. Apparently none of his friends thought he was cut out to be a teacher. That didn't make his day any better and from the sour look on Temari's face while she was relaying it to Gaara, she hadn't appreciated it either.

"And that's that Gaara. The exams will be in Kumogakure this time and any eligible students are welcome. I'd personally rather not send any genin to Kumo. I don't trust them."

"Yes, I quite agree with you. I think we'll withhold from sending any teams this go around. Naruto, I'm sorry, but I think you need to return to your class now. I might come over this evening, but more than likely I'll be stuck here."

Naruto nodded and left to finish out his day. He had plans for this weekend, plans that included Temari and reading some more of those scrolls. Hell, he needed to learn how to do the rasengan one-handed, so he'd send a couple hundred clones out to the desert to work on that. Hell, he'd make clones to read those scrolls while he was on his date with Temari. He had so much to do here, why not utilize his greatest advantage? And why the hell hadn't he thought of it sooner? He'd lost over two weeks that could have been put to use. The two siblings heard him growl in frustration as he left, but chalked it up to having to deal with the students the rest of the day.

Temari turned back to Gaara and sighed. Hopefully Naruto would be in a better mood by the time their date rolled around.

"I think you deliberately left out some of your report while Naruto was here Temari. Care to explain why?"

"Well…I wanted to tell him those parts personally. They don't really affect the mission…it's more what his friends told me what they thought of him personally. Several of the people in that room caught me at different times during my stay in Konoha to ask about his development here and what I thought. I'm going to have to get a different hotel next time. They wouldn't leave me alone."

"I see. Well, Konoha is of no consequence to Naruto anymore. He is of Suna now. I'm sorry Temari, but I have other matters to tend to. If you'll be so kind as to write up your report and turn it in later, you are excused."

Temari nodded and left out the door, headed to the compound. Her thoughts were running to her date with Naruto and what she should wear. She didn't have anything beyond her normal clothes really. Well, she had a couple exquisite kimonos but aside from that she didn't have anything. She was never one for formal dresses or suits. She didn't like pants, they constricted too much of her movement with the fan. Battle style kimonos or her old battle dress were her favorite clothing. They allowed her full range of movement and in her opinion, made her quite the looker.

She sighed as she walked through the compound's gates. Suna was her home and she never wanted to live anywhere else, but she loved the flora of Konoha. If only they had a garden in Suna, a park, something _green_. Her own experiments with gardening had ended on a low note. Even the desert flowers hadn't been able to grow under care. She laughed lightly at her misfortune. She was less nurturing than the desert. Yeah, that would attract the guys…

Opening the door, she was greeted by the sight of two of Kankurou's puppets swiveling their heads to look at her. She raised an eyebrow in annoyance at her brother's actions. He knew he wasn't supposed to bring his 'toys' into the living area.

"Hey Kankurou."

He peeked around from a new puppet he was building and grinned at her.

"Hey sis. How was your trip?"

"Aggravating. Any problems while I was gone?"

"Nah. You missed a bunch of good meals, but other than that, no. Naruto spent most of his time cooped up in his room, muttering something about land and making it fertile. He has some plans for the property he's trying to acquire apparently."

"Really? I hope he remembers we're in the _desert_. There's not much you can grow beside cactus out here. Ah well, he'll figure it out soon enough. Not like there's enough of a water source to support a garden anyway."

"Hey, you never know sis. That kid's surprised us all before. Maybe he can do something. At the very least, he might have a window box."

"And I say that the area is too acrid and dry to sustain anything. But we'll see. Now if you'll excuse me, a hot shower and a good night's sleep are in order. Oh and you missed another good lecture by Naruto today. I caught him giving one on loyalty to one's village."

"And you missed several good ones while you were gone. You know he has other teacher's recording what he says to use for future classes? It's a totally new teaching system for Suna. Maybe we should share it with Konoha…"

"I don't think we should share anything with those assholes."

Before he could ask what she meant, Temari was up the stairs and had the shower running. Kankurou shrugged and went back to tweaking the traps on his newest puppet. His sister had always been an enigma to him, why should anything be different now?

Temari calmed as the hot water cascaded down upon her. She moaned as she felt her muscles loosen and she did what she always did while in the shower. She sat down so that the hot water fell like rain and crossed her legs, letting the warm feeling wash over her. It always helped her to think to do this and it was relaxing. She closed her eyes and thought about her current situation.

She'd heard talk since Naruto was staying with them that he was one of the best-looking guys in Suna. No arguments there, but these women didn't even know him. They knew he was a jinchuuriki and she had heard more than one say they'd like a go at the demon. That pissed her off. People like Naruto and her brother were not sex toys. What they wanted, more than anything, was to be loved like a normal person, not touted and revered for the demon in them. They especially did not want to be fucked simply for their stamina.

Most jinchuuriki seemed to stay away from relationships and physical contact if at all possible. Naruto was an exception, but even he had problems with public affection. A simple hug could leave him disoriented and confused if it wasn't a person close to him. She'd have to break him of that. She shook her head to rid herself of the depressing thoughts. Now then, what should she wear for her date? She nearly squealed with anticipation. She'd never actually been on a _date_ date. Eating out with Shikamaru had been about the closest she'd ever gotten to it. Hopefully, nothing would ruin it.

She sighed happily and washed her body off. She felt better than she had in days. Amazing what a hot shower could do to help one's mood. Wrapping a towel around her torso and rubbing furiously at her hair, she glanced at the clock. She'd been in there for over an hour. Naruto should be getting home in a couple hours, but he probably wouldn't want to go out tonight. Best to wait for the next night. It was a weekend after all, and they'd have all the time in the world. Really and truly, she just wanted to crawl into bed and sleep. In fact, that was a hell of a plan. If Naruto was cooking, she'd smell it and bolt downstairs anyway. She dove under the covers and snuggled against her pillow. She'd just take a quick nap.

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Naruto watched with pride as his students left the room. They were coming along nicely in his opinion. One of them had managed to make it onto the ceiling that day and stayed for all of three seconds before plummeting to the floor. Yes, they were coming along nicely. Henge was quickly becoming their favorite pastime and he had begun to send them out to infiltrate the other classrooms. He placed a clone in the hallway to watch for any students going to the bathroom and would wave over a random student to go and replace them in the classroom. This had become a favorite game of his students.

One of his students had managed to not only infiltrate a classroom, but to disrupt it as well. The teacher, one of the one's Naruto didn't get along with, had chased the student out and was trying to punish him, but he'd run back into Naruto's classroom and dropped his henge, while taking his seat. The teacher had come crashing through the door and demanding to know where the kid was. Naruto just shrugged and politely asked the man to leave before he made him. None of his students had left the classroom all day. As the man left in a fury, Naruto turned and winked at the kids, sending them into giggle fits.

He'd become a favorite teacher at the academy and the children loved to hear him speak. They said he made everything interesting. He hummed as he walked home. He still needed to ask Gaara for an assistant who was good at Taijutsu and Genjutsu. Oh well, he had an entire weekend for himself now. No reason not to get a little done. As soon as he crossed through the gates into the compound, he summoned a couple hundred clones, give or take a few, and split them into three groups.

"All right, this group I want working on making the rasengan one-handed. Don't stop until you're out of chakra. This one I want working on making the rasenshuriken more complete so it doesn't kill me. And you last few, I want reading the scrolls I brought."

One of the clones asked him what he was going to be doing.

"I'll be cooking for tonight and trying to convince Gaara to let me have a plot of land if he comes over. Now get busy, there's a lot to cover. And if any of you exhibit certain 'fox like traits', destroy it. We don't need any unnecessary episodes."

The clones all saluted and disappeared to do their assigned tasks. Naruto walked inside, waved to Kankurou and walked to his bedroom. He couldn't wait to get his own place. Not that living with the Sand siblings was a bad thing, he just wanted more space. And he wanted to try out his mother's ideas for raising a garden. Deserts, after all, used to be places that were teeming with flora and fauna but died out for some inexplicable reason. Most of the natural water sources were far below ground now and would need to be brought up by other means. Before he cooked anything, he wanted to read a little more on that scroll.

The more he read, the more intrigued he was. The first Hokage had been a mokuton user, but no one really knew where the ability had come from. It was an unknown ability. His mother had been able to duplicate it, to a certain extent, to make her garden massive and the most beautiful in Konoha. He'd noticed several unidentifiable species of flowers when he'd visited his parent's home, but they were wild now, and untamed from years of lack of care. He just needed the land to try his luck…

Naruto looked over at the clock and decided it was time to get up and cook supper. As he opened his door, he felt that slight jar in his mind as a clone dissipated and the memories came to him. He smiled and lifted his right hand, trying to form a rasengan without help from a clone. It began to form but then disintegrated. He was getting there though. Just a little while longer and all his efforts would pay off. He sauntered into the kitchen and turned on the stove. Teriyaki chicken and stir-fried vegetables sounded good tonight.

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Naruto watched as Kankurou appeared nearly instantly and began wolfing down his food. Naruto waited in his seat for Temari to arrive but after a couple minutes he began to worry.

"Hey Kankurou, Temari is here right?"

"Yeah, she's probably asleep. She was tired when she got in."

Naruto sat there picking at his food. He just couldn't eat if they weren't all there and Temari had probably been asleep for several hours. He rose from his seat and Kankurou stared at him, confused.

"Where ya going?"

Naruto turned back to him and his head jarred again as another clone released.

"I'm going to wake her up. She needs to eat it while its warm. It doesn't taste good reheated."

"Well, tell her to hurry up or I'm eating her portion."

Naruto nodded and headed up the stairs. As he went he tried another rasengan. This one was a little bit more developed but he still had little to no control over the shape.

'Soon, soon.'

He crept up to Temari's door and cracked it slightly. He'd never been in her room before and had no reason to be in it before. He pushed it open further when he heard the soft sounds of her rhythmic breathing. She was in a deep sleep, obviously tired from her trip. She still needed to eat though. He took in the surroundings and a small smile found its way to his face. Temari, although she prided herself on being one of the 'toughest bitches you'll ever meet' was still a little girl at heart. She apparently adored stuffed animals, since several adorned the walls. Beyond that, she didn't have much. It was a standard ninja bedroom; jutsu scrolls, her battle fan against a wall, weapons hung on racks.

Naruto crossed the room and stood beside the bed. Temari had not put her hair into the familiar ponytails and with her hair flowing around her, she looked more beautiful. A soft smile came across his face. Perhaps dating someone who could look so angelic one moment and be a complete tigress the next wouldn't be a bad thing. First, he had to get past their first date though. Rousing himself from his whimsical thoughts, he shook her shoulder and softly told her to wake up.

Temari had been having a dreamless sleep and it was very relaxing. Usually, her mind was so all-over the place that she couldn't sleep. She groaned when she felt something soft touch her shoulder and begin to shake her. The voice calling out to her was very gentle and it reminded her of days when her mother was still around. Thinking of those days made her heart ached and she latched onto the familiar feeling.

Naruto hadn't been expecting Temari's arm to shoot out and grab his. Nor had he expected her to pull him onto the bed and roll over, hugging him like he was a teddy bear. Although the act was quite comfortable (and maybe she'd be willing to do it again later) the food was getting cold and he didn't want to have to explain to an angry Temari why he was in her bed. He tried to move but she latched onto his waist and snuggled against him, rubbing her face against his stomach. He tried not to laugh at the childish gesture but it was hard. He tried to wiggle out again…no go. She had a death grip on him.

Temari was enjoying the warm sensation. She had been comfortable under her covers, but she had neglected to take something soft to cuddle with when she dove under them. She couldn't quite remember purchasing or receiving this particular toy however. It was soft and yet hard, but not unpleasant. It smelled of…the earth and the forest...and chicken teriyaki. And it kept trying to rouse her from her sleep while whispering softly. Her eyes slowly cracked open to see what exactly she had in her arms. They flew open when she saw the golden tresses and familiar sheepish grin of one Uzumaki Naruto.

Naruto had been trying in vain to escape the kunoichi's clutches but to no avail. He looked down when he heard a gasp and then a growl, straight into Temari's wide eyes. Time to run damage control.

"Temari, before you think what I know you're thinking, I came up here to tell you supper's ready. I was shaking your shoulder and you yanked me on top of you. I couldn't get loose. You have a very firm grip, do you work out?"

He scratched the back of his head and tried to look as cute as possible. In recent years, he'd figured out that the more clueless and hapless he looked, the easier it was to get away with things. He was thoroughly surprised when Temari sat up on her knees and grabbed him by the front of his shirt, shortening the distance of their noses by a couple centimeters. He'd been drug up to his knees as well when she grabbed him and he took note that at the moment her legs were on either side of his right thigh. And she wasn't wearing pants. Or panties for that matter. In fact, if that oversized shirt rode up just a little higher…Naruto blushed at the implications and his gaze snapped back up to meet Temari's.

Temari noticed that his gaze traveled down to where she was essentially sitting on his thigh. She hadn't thought much about it until she remembered that she wasn't wearing any underwear. She fought to keep the blush down and pulled him closer until the tips of their noses touched before she growled out.

"Not only do I expect you never to mention this, I expect my date later to be flawless, you hear? And the one after that better be just as spectacular."

Naruto gulped and nodded before he realized something.

"The one after? But we haven't gone out on our first date yet."

Temari smirked and patted his cheek. It was fast becoming a favorite taunt when dealing with him.

"Why Naruto, I'd be stupid to let such a fine male specimen get away from me after just one date. Besides, I seem to be losing more and more of my clothing every time I see you. Maybe next time, I'll lose everything hmmm?"

Naruto just nodded dumbly and watched as Temari smirked before shoving him backwards, dumping him out of the bed and onto the floor.

"I'll be down shortly to eat, now get the hell out of here unless you _want_ me to kill you."

She laughed lightly as Naruto disappeared without a trace.

'I am going to have so much fun with him.'

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Temari emerged shortly thereafter to find a full Kankurou and a badly blushing Naruto. She sat at her usual seat and began shoveling the chicken into her mouth. It was really good. Hopefully he had a dessert prepared for tonight. It would cap off a most entertaining evening. She waved at Kankurou as he left to begin his patrol. He'd drawn a night duty this time. She didn't envy him a bit. Nighttimes in the desert were always cold as hell.

"Hey Temari?"

"Yeah?"

"I'm sorry about earlier. I didn't mean to offend or anything."

She sighed and shoved her plate away. The guy was too concerned with others' welfare and way too apologetic.

"Naruto, you don't have to apologize for something that you didn't mean to happen. I'm not upset."

"Ok…hey Temari?"

"Yeah?"

"I don't think you told me and Gaara the whole story about your trip. Did something else happen while you were there?"

"If you give me some dessert, I'll tell you."

Naruto smiled and left into the kitchen, coming back with an apple pie. Temari stared at it hungrily and held out her plate. He chuckled and cut her a generous portion, which she immediately devoured and held out her plate for another.

"You don't get any more until you tell me more about your trip."

"Fine. I told you everything about the meeting in the office. What I didn't tell you was that all your friends came to talk to me at different times to see how you were doing. Most were genuinely curious and wanted to know how you were faring. The Hyuuga girl was happy that you were getting along so well. Her teammates were happy for you too. The others all just wanted particulars of what you were doing and why you chose Suna, whether or not I was actually going to go on a date with you, that kind of thing. The two most interesting were your former sensei and your teammate, Sakura."

_Temari was lounging in her hotel room, enjoying a snack of dango and chilled sake, when she heard knocks on the door. She growled as she got up. Those friends of Naruto's were about to drive her up the goddamn wall! They just wouldn't leave her be. The only ones who had been somewhat pleasant were Hinata, who had treated her to dinner in exchange for some stories about the amicable blonde and Iruka, who had offered to help her with whatever paperwork she might have this trip if she shared some of Naruto's teaching secrets with him. She was shocked to see Naruto's two ex-teammates standing before her. Sakura spoke up hesitantly._

"_Um, Temari-san, may we come in? We just want to ask a few questions and then we'll leave."_

_Temari sighed and gestured for them to come in._

"_Sure, why not? Everyone else has come by, I figured you two would be among the first."_

_She waited until they were situated in the room's two chairs and she took up her station on the bed, sitting cross-legged while munching her dango._

"_Well, go ahead, ask away."_

_Kakashi cleared his throat and ran a hand through his silver hair. Temari did not like the man, she had heard Naruto's story of the chuunin exam and how he had asked Kakashi to stop Gaara's fight with Sasuke, fearing for his friend's life. Kakashi had blown him off and nearly caused Sasuke's death. No, she definitely didn't like the laid back jounin._

"_We just think that some of the things you've said are a little…over exaggerated. For one, Naruto can't be a chuunin without passing an exam."_

"_The Kazekage himself promoted him."_

"_Very well. But him being a teacher at a school and only having been there for a short time. It doesn't sound plausible and Naruto doesn't have the necessary skills to teach anyone."_

_Temari narrowed her eyes and sat the dango down. She'd suddenly lost her appetite._

"_And why, pray tell, is he not fit to teach? What makes him so unfit?"_

"_Naruto doesn't even have a good grasp of the basics. How can he teach others something when he can't even do it? It doesn't add up."_

"_Yes, Temari-san, Naruto was always the weakest at the basics in the academy and on our team. Besides, he can't be around children with him being as…unstable as he is."_

"_Unstable? How dare you say he's unstable! Those kids love him and the way he teaches is perfect. He teaches practical things, not stupid ass things like useless history and meaningless theory on simple techniques."_

"_But those things are vital to a ninja's growth…"_

"_No, what is vital to a ninja's growth is that they realize that they aren't invulnerable, that there are always ways to grow and learn. They aren't bulletproof. Naruto is teaching those kids life skills, not just jutsus and book smarts."_

_Sakura got a little miffed at the mention of book smarts. That was always her strongpoint._

"_Well, that idiot couldn't teach about that anyway. He doesn't know jack about history."_

_Temari laughed at the two and picked her dango back up, taking a bite._

"_You'd be surprised what that guy knows. He's not going to teach them history; he has them learning that at home. He's going to teach them useful things. He's already teaching them chakra control by having them walk up walls. He's teaching them infiltration by using henge. He'll be starting them on kawarimi soon. He's beginning to build up their muscles and reserves by making them exercise. He's a good teacher."_

"_And how does he keep them in line? I know personally how much of a handful he was to teach."_

"_He uses Kage Bunshin to teach each one personally. That way no one is left out."_

_Temari watched with satisfaction as realization dawned on the two's faces. But she also knew that changing an opinion didn't happen in one day. And these two were always some of Naruto's biggest detractors, no matter how well they covered it up._

"_Well, I guess it's true that everyone has a niche in life. Naruto was never as strong as Sasuke-kun, so I guess teaching would be more his speed. He's broken his promise to me anyway."_

_Temari nearly growled at the girl._

"_Is that all he's useful to the two of you for? Bringing back that god forsaken Uchiha? Ugh, I don't know why he cares about the three of you, it's beyond me. If you don't have anything else to say, I'd suggest you leave before my fan finds its way into my hands."_

_Sakura and Kakashi stood abruptly, both rather angry at this point. Naruto was _their's_ no one else's. He was the one that tied their group together and the fact that he had left still stung. Kakashi left without another word, but Sakura was used to getting in the last jab and turned at the door._

"_I suggest you rethink your stance on dating him too, Temari. He's not normal you know. There's no telling what he'd do to you in a relationship."_

_Temari simply shoved the girl out into the hallway and ground out her reply before slamming the door in her face._

"_I know that he's one of the best guys I've ever met and you're just jealous of me, because you weren't able to keep him under your thumb. Face it Haruno, your first choice sucked and ran off to play grab ass with a snake and your back up left because all but a few didn't appreciate him. You lose at the game of life and I might actually win. Now fuck off, I need my beauty sleep."_

_She slammed the door in the girl's face and turned around, but heard her call through the door._

"_You can't sleep for beauty if there was never any beauty there in the first place, you bitch!"_

_Temari chuckled and kept eating her dango before going to bed._

'_Yeah, but beauty's only skin deep Haruno. Ugliness goes a lot deeper and I think the blonde idiot finally saw that. That's why he left your village. Konoha's ugliness ran pretty damn deep.'_

Naruto sat back and whistled after she finished. Temari held out her plate and he cut her another piece of pie.

"Wow, that's a hell of a story there Temari. I never could really get a good grasp on what those two actually thought of me. Kakashi helped me with the Kage Bunshin trick but that was also Yamato-sensei doing most of the work. Kind of sad, that my closest friends don't really see me as reliable."

Temari nodded and finished off her pie, letting the fork drop with a clink.

"Don't let it get to you Naruto. They're idiots and one day, they'll realize how wrong they were to let you go. But before that, you and I have a date to plan."

Naruto smiled and grabbed the plates, throwing them in the sink before filling it up to wash them. Temari appeared beside him and smiled.

"Whatcha doing?"

"I'm going to help you with the dishes. Besides, I can't let you do everything around her can I?"

"Sure you can. I don't mind and the two of you have more duties than I do. But anyway, what about our date?"

Temari shivered when she heard the words 'our date'. It seemed almost surreal. She smiled as he handed her a dish to dry and put away.

"Since you don't know the layout of the village very well or the best restaurants, I thought I'd pick everything. You just have to show me a good time."

"I promise to show you the best evening of your life."

"And if you don't?"

"What would you have me do?"

Temari put her finger to her lip thoughtfully. The chances of this date failing were slim to none, but hey, it never hurt to have a contingency plan. And he was basically offering himself to her. She smirked as she thought of a fitting punishment.

"You have to be my slave for a whole day, complete with loin cloth and a dog collar. What I say goes, no questions asked. Deal?"

Naruto paled when he heard the conditions. That was a little harsh.

"Don't you think that's a little extreme? And Kankurou wouldn't ever let me live it up."

Temari batted her eyelashes at him and patted his cheek.

'God, he looks so cute.'

"Well, I guess you'd better not fuck up our date then huh? Otherwise, I may get to see a side of Uzumaki Naruto nobody ever has. Or rather…a certain something no other girl has ever seen."

The blood seemed to rush to Naruto's face and he pressed himself against the counter so she couldn't see or get to, his prized possession. Temari fought down a laugh and continued drying the dishes.

'I think I'm starting to like him. He's definitely boyfriend material. And I wonder what he would look like in a loincloth?'

She refused to answer Naruto's question of what the nosebleed was all about.


	7. Nerves can ruin a date or save it

And here's Chapter 7. This one took a while, but I'm setting up future altercations with this chapter. I like it. I think I captured two uneasy teens pretty good. We'll see when you guys review. I recently ordered my new laptop, since the one I'm currently typing on decided to be a bitch. I forgot how expensive those things were...Anyway, enjoy the chapter. Readers, Reviewers, thank you...Pain Inside.

Oh, and uh, expect things to be kinda sporadic until I get my new laptop in. I never know what this crazy thing I'm typing on is gonna do.

**CHAPTER SEVEN**

Naruto woke up the next morning at the crack of dawn. There was much to do and so little time to do it. He needed to perfect the rasengan and the rasen-shuriken. He had made good progress with the rasengan and was well within completing it fully. The rasen-shuriken was another story altogether. It was still shredding his arms and the memory of that pain was not comforting. Luckily, none of his clones had had a 'Kyuubi episode' and hadn't needed to be dispelled.

He figured that another two hundred clones and he'd have rasengan perfected by lunch. He wondered how many he should dedicate to the shuriken technique as he wandered down to start breakfast. He wanted to avoid Temari as much as possible, at least until that evening. That way they'd have something to talk about. He grunted as he grabbed some eggs out of the fridge. Thinking in too many directions had never been his strongpoint.

First, he had to get his priorities straight for the day. As he sat the frying pan down on the burner and turned it on, he quickly stepped outside and formed two hundred clones. He gave them their instructions and they rushed off into the desert to work on the technique. He figured it wouldn't be too long now…

He shuffled back inside and cracked the eggs against the pan, pouring the yolks inside. Stage one complete, now for stage two. He waited for his eggs to finish before putting them on a plate and taking a seat at the table. As he quickly ate, his mind turned back to his date for the night. She was certainly a lively one. She loved to tease him for some reason and yet, even when she was aggressive, there was an underlying playful tone to it. He shook his head and wolfed the rest of his eggs down. He couldn't afford to be distracted today. There was too much to do.

Not wishing to wash his plate at the moment, he threw it in the sink and walked out the door. He focused and summoned nearly five hundred clones, gave them their orders, and they left to start the rasen-shuriken jutsu. He hoped they would make some headway today…

Turning on his heel, he began to trek to Gaara's office. He wanted to get started on his land if possible.

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Gaara had been having a peaceful morning, something not often seen in Suna. His hopes for it remaining like that were crushed when he saw Naruto walk through his door pulling an angry secretary behind him. The Kazekage winced and sighed heavily. His blonde friend could be such a pain in the ass.

"I'm telling you, you don't have an appointment to see Kazekage-sama. Please leave now!"

"And I'm telling you, I'm a friend of his and it'll only take a moment. Get off me lady!"

"Mori, leave him be. I'll deal with him."

The woman bowed and shot Naruto another glare before shutting the door behind her with a firm click. Naruto huffed and sat down in the chair in front of Gaara, ignoring the swirling sand behind him.

"And why have you chosen to grace me with your presence this morning Naruto? I hope it isn't anything too pressing? Or have you decided to renege on your date with my sister?"

"Easy, easy. Nothing like that. I was just wondering if you'd found a plot of land for me to purchase yet. I was kind of hoping to get started on it."

Gaara blinked twice and turned around to grab a scroll sitting on his windowsill. He tossed it to Naruto and leaned back in his chair.

"It's on the outskirts of the city, outside the walls. It's all I could get you that put you away from everyone else. You have virtually unlimited space, it's larger than the compound. There is a small spring located in a cave on the property and sparse vegetation like you asked for. It is truly a desolate little piece of dirt. Why did you ask for those specific requirements?"

Naruto grinned at his friend and stood to leave. He needed to inspect his new home.

"Because even a flower on the verge of dying can be brought back to bloom beautifully if taken care of with tenderness and love. Remember that Gaara."

Naruto left out the room, glaring at the secretary as he went by. Gaara could have sworn that he saw electricity shoot between the two. He sighed as he ushered in his next appointment.

'A dying flower huh? I wonder if you can actually do anything with that dirt pit…'

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Temari groaned as she woke up and stretched, her oversized t-shirt riding up over her toned tummy. She always slept in late on weekends she was off, simply because there was nothing better to do. Besides, she'd need all her energy for tonight. If there was one thing she'd learned over the years, it was that when with Naruto, expect the unexpected and be well rested. You never know what kind of trouble would follow the boy…

She was somewhat irked to find that Naruto had left the house already, leaving just her there alone. While not normally a problem, she had become somewhat accustomed to having the blonde there in the house somewhere. He was like a security blanket, as long as he was close she felt…safe. Hell, the other night, he had been reading a scroll on the couch in the living room and she had plopped down beside him to see what he was reading. Her curiosity piqued when she saw it was a gardening scroll. After several minutes of reading over his shoulder she had suddenly became sleepy and fell asleep propped up against his shoulder. She had woken hours later to find the blonde passed out sitting up and herself stretched out lengthwise, her head in his lap, with a blanket over her.

She secretly wished for more nights like that…and who knows what the future may hold?

It had been comfortable and comforting to just sleep leisurely like that. And he hadn't seemed to mind in the least…as long as she wasn't trying to grab his goodies. She giggled as she remembered the night before. He had been afraid she was going to make a grab for him. Of course she wouldn't. She'd never do that. She might tease and bully slightly, but she'd never act inappropriately toward someone she was genuinely interested in…and there weren't many she was interested in.

As she poured herself some cereal, she thought back over the past few weeks. Her fellow blonde had invaded her thoughts constantly and, while annoying at times, the thoughts about him were always happy ones, filled with laughter and mirth. Even the stoic, stony Gaara loosened up around the last Uzumaki. Not much mind you, but enough to count. Temari's eye twitched as she threw her bowl into the sink. All this thinking was messing with her head.

'Screw it. I'm going to the hot springs and then the salon to get ready for this evening.'

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Naruto nodded to the gate guard as he stepped out of the safety of Suna and into the desert to make his way around the wall to his new home. He whistled as he walked, the hot air blowing in his face. This was not his native land. The trees, the rivers, the forest, the sweet, clean air…that was his home. But here, in this barren wasteland, perhaps he could bring a little of his home closer to him. If his mother's jutsus were worth anything, perhaps he could restore what was once lost. He could bring life back to that which was all but lifeless…

He looked around as he entered the grounds that Gaara had laid out for him. He could see the cave up on a hillside, the mouth gaping like that of a fish. Naruto grimaced as he spun around, taking it all in. There was a cactus here and there but other than that, no vegetation.

'I believe Gaara and I have a different definition of the word sparse.'

When he said sparse he meant a plant every few feet, not nine or ten total in the whole area. He walked into the cave and looked around. It had a hole in the ceiling that filtered light in and he noticed immediately why the place was lit up. Crystals of all shapes and sizes were everywhere. Prisms throwing light in every direction. It was spellbinding. He'd absolutely have to bring Temari here…that thought threw him for a loop. But upon further introspection, yes, he would bring her here. After all, it was pretty and girls liked pretty things.

He walked to the far back of the cave and ran his hand over the rock. It was smooth and cool to the touch. Not like he'd expected. The spring in the middle of the cave was small and a pool of water had formed below it. He bent to drink and found the water cold and sweet. He'd have to inspect and see if he could find the source further down. He walked back outside into the sunlight and shielded his eyes from the sun. He turned back to stare into the cave one last time and saw a pair of black eyes staring back at him from the pool.

The creature sat on two legs staring at him while washing something in the water. Its bushy tail swept back and forth and its banded eyes seemed to bore into him. He watched as its whiskers twitched before its eyes widened and it suddenly poofed out of existence.

'Was that…a raccoon?'

He shook his head and cursed himself for not covering up more while out under the accursed sun. He was already starting to hallucinate. Better to finish up what he wanted to do before heading back to the compound to research more. He walked down the hill and stopped beside a cactus at the bottom. He sat down underneath it in the shade of one of its arms and crossed his legs, his hands clasped together, his eyes screwed shut. He shut out everything around him, the wind, the sand, the blistering heat of that damned sun! He focused only on what lay beneath him, the untapped potential that the desert had lost for ages.

He lost himself in the green, remembering his mother's written words.

_It is not enough to see the green, feel the green; you must lose yourself in the green, bring it to the surface, make it bend to your will. You must push the life giving chakra into the green and force it into the sun. If it is existing flora, make it flourish. Make it large, make it beautiful. If it is a seed, make it grow, make it strong, make of it what you will. The hardest thing to accomplish, is to make green from nothing. The Shodaime Hokage was able to make Konoha by utilizing his jutsu. _

_The green bowed to him and observed him as its master. But no man since has come close to ruling the green. The green is reluctant to serve. One must make it their own. Making barren land fertile again is a worthwhile cause but it must be for the right reason. If one seeks to make the green come forth for ill will, the green will turn on that person and consume them. The green is like all other elements. It only bends because it wants to and recognizes the wielder as worthy of that power. One must have a tie to nature to use the green._

_If you are able to utilize the green, it will follow you wherever you go. It will help you in life. The green is vain and wants to be seen as beautiful. To bring the green to a place where there is no green makes it stand out and it will be pleased. And remember always, the green can be your best friend…or your worst enemy. If you cannot make peace with it, better to let it alone than to be consumed by it._

Naruto had pondered her words for quite a while now and thought he understood them. As long as he didn't use the green for malicious purposes, it would help him make this land beautiful again. All he had to do was act as the conductor and let it take its course. He shuddered when he felt the first spike as it began to creep toward the surface. He could literally feel it coming. Soon he felt the ground vibrate and sand began to erupt everywhere around him. After several moments everything settled back down and he opened his eyes to find…green.

In a fifteen-foot circle around him, everything was green. There was soft grass and a few flowers; there was even a small shrub. He knew of course that they would die without water, but if he kept them watered daily, until he could secure a better water source…surely the green would forgive him if the first experiment failed. He stood and glanced around, happy with his advancement.

'It's not near what mom could have done, but then again, I don't remember reading where she tried to bring life back to a desert. I hope you are happy with our arrangement.'

He knelt on the grass reverently and could feel a cool sensation pass through him. Whatever essence made up the green seemed to be pleased. That was a good sign. Naruto smiled and made his way back to the gates of Suna to get ready for his date.

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A furry figure watched from the mouth of the cave as the blonde ninja walked away, its eyes wide with excitement.

'He can make the green from nothing! The Master will want to hear about this. Perhaps, we _have_ found the right one…'

It poofed away without a trace, throwing one last glance at the luscious green grass.

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Naruto sighed as he walked past the sight where his clones were training. One of them saw him and dispelled itself, the memories flooding his mind. All the rasengan clones had perfected the technique and he smiled as he did it with no difficulty. It was like second nature now. Those clones had gone on to try to perfect the rasen-shuriken but that was still slow going. They were making small progress however. The blood flow was lessening with every try.

He waved to the guards as he walked past toward the compound. It still was unsettling even now to be walking through the streets of a city and not be looked down upon. Hell, some of the girls were pointing and giggling at him. Not because he looked funny, but because they were thinking impure thoughts about him. It made him happy and sad at the same time. Happy, because he was finally seen as a heartthrob. Sad, because in Konoha, no matter how good he looked, he was a demon. As he walked through the gates of the compound, he grimaced and looked up at the sky.

'Ah fuck 'em. I've got a new life here.'

He walked inside to begin cleaning up for his date…and to get a little more study time in.

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Temari hummed happily to herself as she walked home. Her time at the spa and salon had been wonderful. She couldn't remember the last time she'd gone there with intent to impress someone. Probably never, but hey, that's beside the point. She bounded up to her room to get ready for the evening, ignoring the sounds coming from Naruto's bedroom. She'd be seeing him soon enough.

She began to dig through her closet to find something, anything to wear. She frowned at her miniscule selection. She really should have gone shopping earlier. All she had were kimonos and the old battle dresses she used to wear. Temari was a practical girl though, and figured that a teal kimono would be best, as it complimented her eyes. She wasn't truly sure what he would be wearing, but then again, she didn't really care. He could show up in a clown outfit for all she cared, as long as she had a good time. She knew he was a good person and totally worthy of her consideration. This was just to get to know him better.

She jumped onto her bed and grabbed a stuffed bear, cuddling it to her chest. The world outside may know her as a jounin, a kunoichi, the sister of the Kazekage, but here, in her own domain, she was a soft, caring individual. She loved her stuffed animals and the comfort they brought her. They helped her to think. And right now, she needed to think. She had a date to plan out and a boy to impress. She had her kimono, now she needed to finish the ensemble.

Her shoes weren't of much consequence. She'd just wear some formal sandals and that was that. She never wore much jewelry so a necklace wouldn't be a bad idea, but she didn't want him to take his eyes away from _her_. She wanted him to look at her, not at anything too glittery. Makeup was out of the question. She looked good without it and she knew it. Besides, she'd have to raid Kankurou's room to get some and she absolutely refused to wear kabuki makeup. Nope, not happening.

Her mind wandered to what Naruto was doing at the moment. She wondered if he was as worried over the date as she was…

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Naruto was freaking out. He had no idea what to do on a date. Sure, he'd gone out eating with his friends and had even eaten out alone with Sakura once, but Sai and Kakashi had interrupted them. He shook his head and looked back at the scroll that he had been intending to read further into. He was letting old memories get to him. He needed to look to the future. He needed to think about the date…

'Oh fuck! What time is it?'

He immediately swung his eyes to the clock and blanched when he saw he only had an hour to get ready. He snapped the scroll back shut and leapt off the bed, headed for the bathroom door. He needed to shower and then pick out what he was going to wear. Shit, hopefully Temari wasn't very picky when it came to attire. He leapt out of the shower and began toweling off, his hair standing in every direction. He growled at the follicles; they never did what he wanted. He resigned himself to his usual hairstyle and ran to his closet.

He wanted to knock her on her butt with his sense of fashion but he had little in the way of eveningwear. He'd have to use his normal clothes and try to look acceptable. At least he had one suit that was semi formal. It would at least get him into any restaurant she wanted to go to. He threw on the outfit and summoned a clone to look him over.

"So? How's it look?"

The clone gave one last appraising look and offered a thumb's up.

"Eh, it'll work. You'll be able to get into formal places at least. Hopefully she'll approve. I think it looks ok."

Naruto nodded and the clone dispelled itself with a salute. Naruto sat on the edge of his bed, a nervous wreck, and suddenly fell to the floor clutching his head. He growled and punched the floor.

'Which fucking clone's idea was it to dispel all at once? Fucking dumbasses.'

"Ugh, I hate when that happens. Feels like I been kicked in the balls…"

He stood back up and shook to rid himself of the tingling feeling that came with an information overload. He glanced back at the clock and sighed.

'Might as well head downstairs and wait for Temari to make her grand entrance.'

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Temari let out a long breath and opened her bedroom door. She was ready. This was it, the moment of truth. Her entire evening hinged on his reaction to her when she walked down those stairs. If she didn't get a favorable reaction from him, the date was as good as ruined right off the bat. And she didn't think she could take that. Temari calmed herself and began her descent. It was showtime.

Naruto sat on the couch, twiddling his thumbs nervously. It was nerve-wracking, waiting on the girl to come down. Luckily they had no time constraints; they had no one to over see them. This was their night. He heard her soft footsteps coming down the stairs and stood to receive her. His jaw dropped at the sight and his eyes widened.

There stood Temari in a teal kimono that hugged every curve of her body, accenting everything that made her both dangerous and sensuous. Her hair was pulled back into the four familiar ponytails and Naruto was glad for that. He rather liked her unique hairstyle. She wore no jewelry or makeup, save for a locket on a choker around her neck that only diverted his attention for a moment. His eyes traveled all over her, taking in the luscious curves and the newly manicured toenails, back up to her taught stomach and the white sash around her waist, to her smooth arms and finally to her immaculate face.

He drowned in her green eyes and had to pull away so that he wouldn't get lost in them. He stared at her pouting lips and barely registered the gasp that escaped her lips or the hand that rose to her chest. He was drinking up everything about her.

She was beautiful…

Temari had walked downstairs slightly hyperventilating. She had rounded the corner of the small hallway and had kept her eyes unfocused until Naruto had taken in her appearance. She heard no response and her heart sank. Slowly, she raised her gaze until she saw how he was dressed and she gasped and her hand flew to her chest, right over her heart.

Before her stood a young man who seemed to be chiseled from the finest stone, created by a master artisan. Everything about him screamed danger and yet, he also exuded a calming aura. His well-defined muscles were present under the long sleeved white button up shirt he wore, the black jacket slung over his arm. The black pants were loose and yet, if she squinted hard enough, she could see the well-muscled legs beneath them. He was the epitome of how a shinobi should look. She noticed how his hair fell over his eyes and gave him an otherworldly look. She liked it like that.

His blue eyes seemed endless and Temari couldn't tear her gaze away from them. She was somewhat aware of the fact that he was blatantly staring at her and usually that would warrant a bash over the head. But for the moment, they were both allowed to look unhindered. She took in his whisker marks and suddenly wanted to touch them again. She wanted to run her fingers through that oddly feeling hair.

He was perfect…

Both let out breaths they hadn't known they were holding and he spoke before her.

"You're so beautiful…"

She blushed slightly at the high praise and offered her own appraisal.

"You're so handsome…"

Naruto let a nervous grin splay across his face and crossed the room to stand in front of her and held out his arm.

"Shall we?"

Temari smiled and hooked her arm in his. Tonight was going to be good.

"Yes, let's."

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The crowd seemed mesmerized by the two blondes that walked through the city on their way to dinner. Neither had said anything during their walk, preferring to save conversation for dinner, but both felt extremely comfortable with one another. Temari, despite the chilled night air, felt warm and felt no sign of goosebumps on her arms. She knew how to use chakra to guard against the hot days and cold nights of Suna but she was sure Naruto did not. The boy didn't seem bothered by this however. He just walked on without a hint of discomfort and it was then that Temari remembered that everytime she had physical contact with Naruto it had been warm, like a blanket had enveloped her.

It was then she realized that the boy emitted a natural warmth around him and whoever was in contact with him received that warmth. It was just right, a temperature that was pleasant, and with long enough exposure, could be like a tranquilizer. Temari was enjoying it already.

They reached the restaurant she had chosen and were ushered in immediately. Temari chose the best food and drink for the both of them and they lapsed into conversation to pass the time.

"So tell me Naruto…what did you think when you found out who your parents were?"

A sad smile flitted across his face and his voice echoed both his happiness and sadness.

"I was both ecstatic and angered, at the same time. I finally knew who they were, I had pictures, I had a family. They might not be there, but they had loved me, I had been…wanted. I didn't just appear out of nowhere you know? I hadn't always been an unwanted child. As soon as I saw my mother's face I nearly fell into tears. The picture showed her with her hand on her belly, she'd been about eight months pregnant with me and she seemed so happy. My father stood beside her with his hand beside hers. I was happy that I was his son, but at the same time…"

Naruto's face darkened and Temari stiffened slightly.

"I hated him for what he did. I don't now, but for a second, I did. I understand that the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few, but the way Konoha treated me…were they really worth it? I wasn't chosen to be the jailor because of worth…I was chosen out of necessity. Any other child could have been the container, but I just happened to be born that day. Destiny? Or Kami's twisted sense of humor? Sometimes I wonder."

He looked back up at her and smiled apologetically.

"I'm sorry Temari. I got all gloom and doom on you. This is supposed to be a happy day."

"Don't apologize. Both of our families were torn by our fathers' decisions."

"Perhaps…what about you though? Let's hear about your family."

"You already know that Naruto. I never really had a family beyond Kankurou and Gaara. Our father was too busy leading a country and being an asshole to ever be a parent. Our mother was a loving individual to Kankurou and I but I question how loving she was when she cursed Gaara upon his birth. It hadn't been his fault that father implanted a demon in him. But she didn't curse father. She cursed her newborn son. I hate her for that."

Temari looked into his eyes, expecting to see anything but the understanding she saw. How was it that the boy was so…empathic?

"I understand completely. I wonder at times if my mother cursed me for harboring a demon before she died. If she saw her son as a demon, instead of the child she gave birth to. You know, I don't even know if my whisker marks are natural or not. I guess it's my mark, kind of like the shape of my eyes and my canines. But enough about me, let's hear about you."

"What do you want to know?"

"What you like, what you don't like, your dreams, you know…that stuff."

"This isn't a genin assignment Naruto. You already know all that. Let's swap war stories. I'll start."

They'd sat, sharing stories of their times as ninja of the past, until their food arrived. Conversation was put on hold immediately. Food was more important at the moment.

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Temari covered her eyes with both hands and sighed. Everything had gone perfectly until the food arrived. They were hitting it off so well and then Naruto became a bundle of nerves because he didn't want to offend her with his horrible manners. She, of course, didn't care, but he didn't want to embarrass her. He'd ended up spilling his drink all over her kimono, dumped some of his food on the floor and had nearly dumped the table over when he stood up.

She knew he wasn't that clumsy normally, he was just nervous. And now he was walking beside her with his head hanging in shame. She looked at him and frowned. He hadn't said a word since they'd left the restaurant. It just wasn't like the perpetually happy ninja to be depressed…and she was going to save their date one way or another.

Naruto was despondent. He'd totally ruined everything. The one girl who had shown interest in him, true interest, and he'd fucked up everything. Why did he have to be such a klutz? It nearly brought tears to his eyes. She hadn't said anything to him since they'd paid the bill and he hadn't the courage to say a word. It would only make the situation worse. He was suddenly jerked in the opposite direction by a firm hand.

"Come on Naruto, we're going somewhere else."

He nodded his consent and let himself be led. When they got there he'd apologize for his behavior and beg her forgiveness.

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Temari sighed as they stood atop the cliff overlooking Suna. It was truly beautiful on a full moon, the minerals in the desert seemed to twinkle like a million stars. Her vision swung to the blonde beside her, his eyes still downcast.

"Naruto…"

His head immediately snapped up.

"Temari I'm sorry. I didn't mean to do any of that. Please, forgive…"

"Shut up."

Naruto winced and hung his head. So she really was pissed at him. Hot tears stung at the corner of his eyes. He'd tried so hard to make it perfect, but it seemed higher powers were working against him. He was just about to run home when a calloused, yet soft hand found its way to his cheek.

"Naruto, look at me."

He lifted his eyes to stare into her green ones. No matter what, he still thought they were beautiful.

"I know you didn't mean any of that. And I'm not mad, I'm not disappointed. You had a bad night. You were nervous. I can understand that. I was nervous too."

"…you didn't ruin your date's clothes…"

"No I didn't. But I also realize that I'm not perfect. That could have easily been me Naruto, dumping everything on you. I find you interesting Uzumaki Naruto, and I never was one to let something that interested me go until I was satisfied with my conclusions about it."

"I'm sure your conclusion of me dropped a few notches tonight."

"No. I'm not holding tonight against you. You know what to expect of a date now. Next time will be better. And the one after that, and the one after that. It'll get better, I promise."

Naruto gaped at the girl and his breath hitched. She had yet to take her hand away from his cheek.

"But…why would you want to go on another date with me? Why take such an interest in me?"

Temari sighed and her hand dropped from his face to her side, as she turned back to the desert. She missed the warmth he gave off already and shivered slightly.

"You're a good person Naruto. No matter what anyone says, I know it, Gaara knows it, Kankurou knows it, and you know it. I want to get to know you better because you're one of the few guys I've ever come across who seemed worthy of my time."

'And the fact that you're one of the few Gaara and Kankurou would ever approve of doesn't hurt either. Their guidelines are way too strict.'

Temari turned back to the stunned boy and patted his cheek affectionately.

"Next time will be better. Let's say, next weekend? Now let's go home, I want to get out of this kimono."

Naruto chuckled nervously as she took his hand. He didn't notice the smile on her face as his warmth ran over her body.

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Temari sighed happily as they walked back inside the house. It had been…an eventful night. She turned to Naruto and offered him a bright smile.

"Despite what you may think Naruto, I enjoyed the vast majority of our date. You did good, well above my expectations."

His eye twitched at that.

"You mean you expected a lousy date?"

"No, I just didn't expect to have that much fun or be that comfortable around you. Now, we say goodnight."

"All right then, goodnight Temari."

He turned to go upstairs but turned back when he heard her cough and begin to tap her foot.

"What? Did I forget something?"

"Yes, as a matter of fact. You forgot my kiss and hug."

"Kiss? Are you serious? On the first date?"

"Not a make out you moron. A small, chaste kiss and a hug to let me know you appreciated our time together."

"I suppose that's acceptable."

He crossed the room and enveloped her in a hug. He had always loved hugs since he never got them as a child. He didn't really know how to kiss though. That was one thing he was deficient in. Temari, however, was glad to take initiative and pecked him on the lips, lingering only slightly. She pulled back and smiled at him, giving him one last squeeze.

"See? That wasn't so hard now was it? I expect a kiss and hug after every date."

Naruto nodded dumbly and began to trek back upstairs. This evening had gone beyond his expectations. Temari followed him. Neither saw the figure appear out of the shadows holding a night vision camera.

'Heh, blackmail city. Kankurou, you are the man.'

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Temari lay on her bed in her nightshirt, a stuffed teddy bear in her arms. She couldn't get the kiss out of her head. It hadn't been more than two seconds but that was enough to make her want more.

'It was like my whole body was on fire. I wonder if he can make that warmth flow throughout his whole body.'

The mystery of Naruto's warmth began to fade as sleep claimed her. She fell asleep with a smile on her face and a promise to thoroughly enjoy their next outing. It promised to never be boring with him around.

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Naruto was excited as all get out. He couldn't believe it. His first _real_ kiss and it had been great. Sure, it was just a chaste kiss on the lips, but it meant the world to him. In Konoha, he doubted he ever would have experienced that intimacy, even on a friendly level. Temari liked him enough to trust him with a kiss though. If he died tonight in his sleep, he died happy. He made a promise as sleep claimed him that he would not fail her on the next date.

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"**So, you say he can control the green?"**

"**Yes, I saw him make it from nothing. Perhaps we have found him sire."**

"**Perhaps. I want you to keep an eye on him. If he can do this and his intentions are pure, we will help him. Our tribe will bring back the glory this land has lost for generations. The green has slept here for too long."**

"**He is a ninja though, my Lord. He might expect us to…aid him in battle."**

"**If he can bring back the green, it will be worth it. Our kind has not seen battle for ages. It would be quite a commotion were we to enter into the world again, especially for a wielder of the green. If he requires our aid, we shall aid him."**

"**Of course my Lord. Is that all you require of me?"**

"**Hai. Keep an eye on this boy at all times. Recruit who you must to keep round the clock vigil. I am intrigued by him."**


	8. A lot can change in a year

And here's Chapter 8. I hope you guys like this one, because I certainly do. In fact, there is a definite one-up in this chapter concerning Naruto and Temari's relationship. For those who've said that Naruto is whipped, well, you're welcome on this one. He certainly confused the hell out of his fellow blonde. Ah, just read the damn thing. I'm hoping one of the chapters for this finally reaches a hundred reviews. That would fucking RULE! Just like you guys...Readers, Reviewers, thank you...Don't Say Goodbye.

**CHAPTER EIGHT**

A year came and went like it had never been there. Naruto had a successful first year as a teacher and truth be told, he really enjoyed it. He could understand why Iruka loved to teach. It was such a fulfilling sensation. His students, while somewhat put out that he still didn't care to know their names, were respectful of their teacher and had taken to his style of teaching with gusto.

His relationship with Temari had become more defined and, while not yet in a serious relationship with the brash kunoichi, he was hopeful that perhaps they would have something more defined at a later date. He'd tried dating a few other women (much to Temari's unvoiced disdain) and had found them lacking what he saw in his fellow blonde. The only one who came close was his fellow teacher, Kari, but she just didn't click with him on any level. She was kind, yes, pretty, yes, but she lacked what Naruto wanted in a potential girlfriend and, possibly later, wife. She lacked that fire in her belly, that need to struggle for dominance that Temari possessed.

Perhaps that was what Naruto's problem was. He was just like his father in that respect. He needed a woman who would challenge him and wouldn't be afraid to tell him if he was wrong.

In effect, he needed a woman who wasn't afraid of him…and Temari had proven time and time again that she most assuredly wasn't afraid of him.

His thoughts swung from his burgeoning romance with the Wind Mistress to all he'd learned from his parent's scrolls over the past year. He'd mastered the Rasengan, his father's prize jutsu and then expanded on it by completing the Rasenshuriken. It still wasn't without its risks, but he had such control over it now that the damage was down simply to cuts and bruises. Definitely an improvement over the previous arrangement.

He'd delved even further into his father's scrolls and had developed a healthy respect for the man that he'd never met, the father he'd never know. He literally had hundreds, possibly thousands of jutsus at his disposal. They encompassed everything from Fuuton to Katon and he had begun to slowly master them one by one. Currently, he was only learning the low level ones, and copying them down to show his students. He wanted to learn as others learned, he wanted to share with those he had come to call 'his'. They were his students, and while it was generally frowned upon for Academy teachers to take a vested interest in their students, he technically still had three years to teach them.

His students could all walk in and take the genin exam right now and completely blow away any and all expectations, but what would be the fun in that? He wanted them to decimate the exam, destroy it, and show its incompetency. And his teaching style had not been lost on the other instructors. They'd all taken a more vested interest in their students and the academy had blossomed because of it. This was looking to be the best crop of students to come out since the Sand siblings.

Naruto shifted the scroll in his lap and read a little bit more. He kept getting lost in his thoughts about it being his anniversary in Suna and the date that Temari had promised him when she got back. She was due to arrive sometime that evening and had insisted that he take her out so she could unwind. He had offered to cook her a meal instead, but she insisted and he never could persuade her when she began to pout. Not to say she always got her way. Naruto had long ago figured out that the fiery kunoichi loved a good battle of wills and wit, and he made it a point to fight her tooth and nail when he absolutely wanted to do something.

The fact that they both usually ended up having a good time, regardless of who won, was indicative of their respect for each other, if not their attraction.

He shook his head and turned back to the scroll. He was getting off track again. But as he looked over the writing his mind began to wander again. The scroll he currently had splayed out was a thesis on the functionality and usefulness of Fuuin jutsu and, while he took an exceptional interest in sealing jutsus, he just couldn't focus at the moment. With a growl of frustration, he rolled the scroll up and sat it on the ground beside the couch before lying back with his hands behind his head. He closed his eyes and began to think back over the past year.

His mother's jutsus were not nearly as destructive as his father's but he enjoyed them immensely. Especially, the jutsu that allowed him to command the green. He still didn't completely understand what the force was, but he was beginning to get there. He'd read of a genjutsu that he could use to cover his property and had taken great pains to ensure that no one stumbled upon his work until he was ready to show it to the public.

When he did, he was sure that it would change Suna forever.

He'd dug in his father's jutsus until he'd found a Doton jutsu for changing the landscape personally and had erected a huge wall around his land, butting it up against the walls of Suna and then layering the genjutsu over the top of the wall so that it appeared to be nothing more than sand and lots of it.

The inside of that wall could not be further from the truth…

Naruto had finally mastered the art of commanding the green and the entirety of that landscape was awash in color. Gone were the browns and grays of the former desert, to be replaced by trees bearing fruit, bushes with berries, and lush green grass. Naruto had rerouted an underground river to feed the land and had gone home very sore several times with bloody knuckles from digging through the bedrock.

And it had been worth every damn second.

When he did finally get around to building a home for himself, it would be the most comfortable place in Suna…at least until he started his project of transforming Suna to a lush wonderland of green.

He smiled as he thought of what he would be doing for his new homeland. Surely they would love the change, right? They had been a desert for so long, surely they would love to have their own gardens, their own parks. They wouldn't be such a desolate land anymore. But people are loathe to let go of the past and Naruto understood that. Despite his hard work, some may be resentful of what he was doing and think that he was trying to bring Konoha to them.

But he wasn't. He just wanted them to be happy. He wanted his new village to be prosperous…and one way to do that was to make them independent of the need for trading for food. With the green came a bounty of fruits and vegetables, nuts and flowers. And with the bounty came animals to live in the flora and be hunted by the people of Suna. It made sense to him.

He'd run it by Gaara before he did anything of course…but his land would be green regardless.

His eyes scrunched as he remembered his brief viewing of that little furry beast and he could swear that he was being followed all the time now. Ever since he'd first made that little patch of green, he would find himself catching a blur out of the corner of his eye or he'd round a corner of an alley and find a raccoon digging through the trash, only to see him looking and just…disappear. It was quite disconcerting.

He thought back to all the shit he and Kankurou had pulled with both of their legendary prankster skills; he with his Kage Bunshin and Kankurou with his puppets. They were a force to be reckoned with. And his relationship with the puppet master had risen to a great friendship when girls began to ask Kankurou out just because he was Naruto's housemate and therefore had to be cool.

When he'd gone out on dates without the makeup, no one had recognized him and some thought he was actually quite handsome. Until he opened his mouth…

Naruto chuckled at the hopelessness of his friend's dating situation. Unless Kankurou changed his approach, he just wasn't going to get anywhere with the fairer sex. Of course thinking of Kankurou made him think about his best friend, Gaara.

The Kazekage would come out of his shell only around his siblings and Naruto…and sometimes Matsuri, his former pupil, if she caught him on a good day. It turned out that Gaara was a closet pervert and Naruto had a conniption fit when he found one of Jiraiya's books in Gaara's desk drawer.

His ire grew more when Gaara monotonously asked if he would care to borrow it…as long as the pages weren't stuck together when he brought it back.

So Gaara had developed a dirty, dirty sense of humor over the years…it was a marked improvement from homicidal at least…

As he drifted in that blissful state between sleep and consciousness, Naruto thought of his correspondence letters to Tsunade and Jiraiya. He was always delighted to hear from them and somewhat saddened by the first few letters.

The only ones who never really cared how he was doing were his former teammates and that hurt. He'd gotten over it quickly but it was still a betrayal to him and he didn't like that. Jiraiya and Tsunade promised to visit when they had time and he couldn't wait for them to. They'd be so surprised when they saw his home…

He'd gotten several personal letters from all his friends. Hinata had wished him well and wanted to see him again someday. She was in a relationship with Shino of all people. Apparently, she'd outgrown her loud, boisterous boy stage and had taken a shining to the strong, silent type. Her father, while not particularly happy about her choice, had begrudgingly allowed her to date Shino.

It helped that any negative comments were dispelled when Shino had had his bugs form a message in the air above him, while Hinata stood in front of him and before her father, pleading their case. She didn't know what words they'd formed, but judging by her father's somewhat paler face, it must have been some threat…and secretly, she loved it.

Kiba was dating a civilian girl. His dominant personality demanded no less than an obedient girl.

Lee demanded a spar again and once Naruto had read past all the 'youths' and 'springtime' comments, he'd found his friend truly missed him. TenTen did too, even though they were never close and despite his stoicism, Neji expressed a desire to spar with him as well.

Shikamaru had said it was too troublesome to write a letter but had written his signature at the bottom of one of Ino's, under threat of bodily harm no doubt. Chouji had written him a letter and sent him a case of instant ramen as a reminder to come home and visit one day.

The Ichiraku's had told him that he had a lot of eating to make up for…and he'd better bring a big wallet, because they wanted compensation for time missed.

Iruka had scolded him for not writing more often, but had wished him well and had said that he would be one of the ones coming to visit with the Hokage and Jiraiya.

All his other friends and acquaintances had written at one time or another and Naruto always made it a point to write back. His last letter from Tsunade and Jiraiya though kind of rattled him.

The council, the bastards who had denied him his heritage, wanted him back, badly. Naruto could understand their skepticism on his being the Namikaze heir, but when you have the word of a Hokage and a Sannin, what more do you need? He'd all but been a carbon copy of his father, down to the attitude outside of battle and in battle. But they hadn't _wanted_ him to be the heir until it was too late and his mind was made up. But now they wanted him back and were willing to barter a trade with Suna to get him back under their thumb.

Naruto blew a raspberry and chuckled under his breath. Like Gaara would ever let him leave now.

He was just about to drift off to sleep and wait for Temari to come home when he felt a weight on his chest and opened his eyes to find himself nose to nose with a masked furry object.

He blinked once, twice, three times. The damned rodent was still there. The only thing that kept him from jumping to his feet and screaming was the fact that he'd been dealing with the toads poofing in and out for years. He watched with curious eyes as the red furry thing sniffed him and then sat back on its haunches before waving a paw.

**Yo.**

Naruto blinked again and raised his hand in similar greeting.

"Yo."

It was the red furry things's turn to look stupefied and it tilted its head to the side.

**You're not going to scream and holler? Not afraid that I just appeared in your house?**

"Not really. I've dealt with animals of your kind before. I used to be a holder of the Toad contract."

**Ah. I thought you smelled faintly of those frogs. **

Naruto was now slightly miffed at the rodent and didn't enjoy his nap being interrupted.

"Do you have a reason for being here? I was kind of in the middle of a nap. And whose summon are you?"

**I have a good reason for being here. You weren't asleep yet. And I'm no one's summon at the moment, although that could change…**

"What do you mean?"

**All will be revealed in time. I need you to come with me to the desert. My Master would like to meet you.**

"And who is your master?"

**The great king of the raccoons, coatis, ringtails, and yours truly, red pandas. We are all part of the same family and have one king that rules over all of us. He, himself, is a great raccoon.**

"I thought raccoons were…different from you."

**Not so much. The entire royal family is raccoons, but many nobles are red pandas.**

"Strange. I wouldn't have thought any noble families to be anything but the dominant species."

**We choose our rulers by strength. Whoever is the strongest and wisest are the rulers. At one time, we were ruled by red pandas, one time by coatis, and one time by ringtails. The raccoons just usually win the test of strength.**

"Hey, I thought raccoons were nocturnal. It's the middle of the freaking day."

**And as one who held a contract with a summon, you should know that we don't always follow all the rules. Now are you ready to meet Tsubasa-sama?**

"Is that his name? Yeah, sure, I'll meet the furball."

A quick bite on the hand made him regret that.

**Never insult Tsubasa-sama. You think GamaBunta is terrible when he's mad? Get on the wrong side of the king. Raccoons can use jutsu too you know. We have paws that are close to being hands. He'll drown your ass with a Suiton jutsu.**

Naruto nodded and allowed himself to be led to the desert. The people of Suna were amused to see the chuunin schoolteacher being led along by a small red panda. Naruto ignored their chuckles and comments to the best of his ability, but in the end, he settled for a sour look on his face. It wasn't his fault that interesting things always happened to him.

Seriously, it wasn't his fault…

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Temari let out a small groan as the gates of Suna came into view. She wanted nothing more than to let Naruto massage her sore neck with his skillful hands and then enjoy a nice relaxing dinner with him. Over the past year, they had become closer and she knew that she nearly had him reigned in for a relationship. Hell, she wanted it badly, she'd admit. It was nice having someone to do things with who treated you like a regular person instead of the sister of the Kazekage.

She flashed her pass to the gate guards and began her trudge home. Since Konoha and Suna had decided that they only needed _one_ liaison between the two villages, she had been running ragged and had not seen nearly enough of her hopefully soon-to-be boyfriend. Sure it was great seeing her friends in Konoha but it was always business, never pleasure, and that Sakura bitch kept shooting her dirty looks whenever she visited the Hokage's office. At least Hinata was still nice to her…

She smiled as she passed through the gates into her house. Kankurou was nowhere in sight, probably on a mission. Good. That meant she had Naruto all to herself…unless Gaara showed up. But with his schedule, he'd probably be busy all night. Oh, she needed a neck rub right now.

"Naruto! You home?"

She looked in all the rooms and couldn't find anything, no blonde, no brother, nobody. She huffed and sat down on the couch when her foot bumped a scroll. She bent down to pick it up and it unrolled. She recognized it as one of his scrolls that he studied out of.

'Wonder what the hell he's always reading about?'

She didn't think anything about reading the scroll, since she often read over his shoulder. Most of the things he read about were theory and whatnot, things she cared nothing about. Although…falling asleep on his shoulder was always a pleasant thing. She snapped the scroll open and skimmed over the writing, her eyebrows ascending higher and higher into her hairline.

'What the? Elemental configurations, manipulation, botany…this is a damn gardening scroll! And yet…most of this is theory on how to control a force known as 'the green'. Wonder what the hell that is?'

Not wanting to delve too far into his studies (and she could always pester him later so he could explain it where she could understand it) she snapped the scroll shut and went up to her room to freshen up. The least she could do was look decent for the boy that evening.

And if she had her way he wouldn't be able to take his eyes off her.

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Naruto was decidedly less impressed than usual with his current situation. The little red panda, whose name was supposedly Sanzoku, had tired out halfway there and was now guiding the excursion while perched on Naruto's shoulder. Naruto was just about to throw the little bugger out into the sands and walk off when Sanzoku jumped off his shoulder and stood in front of him.

**Ok, we're here. Ready to meet Tsubasa-sama?**

"As ready as I'll ever be I suppose."

As soon as Naruto said that a large boom echoed over the desert and a huge poof of smoke enveloped him. He threw his arms up in defense and his eyes widened to the fullest when he gazed up at the monster in front of him.

**Hello there young one. I…am Tsubasa.**

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In Suna, Gaara was immediately aware of the huge explosion and rushed to the walls to see what the threat was. It was too far away though, and he couldn't see it. He felt the familiar presence of his sister beside him and turned to see her in a bathrobe with a towel around her head. He cocked his eyebrow questioningly and Temari growled at him

"I just got out of the shower, I'm tired, I'm hungry, and I haven't seen Naruto since I got home. Mess with me and I'll rip your balls off."

Gaara wisely kept his mouth shut. Temari was a force to be reckoned with when angered…and it appeared she had been interrupted getting ready for her evening with Naruto…

Whatever made that noise was not going to want to go up against her.

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Naruto was, for one of the few times in his life, tongue-tied. He had no smartass remark, no comeback, no nothing. Hell, he'd given lip to GamaBunta when he'd met him. But then, he had called Bunta out, not been summoned to meet him. This Tsubasa before him, was bigger than GamaBunta and had _teeth_…

Oh lord, the _teeth…_

The raccoon lord, sensing his discomfort, tried to be as civil as possible.

**It has come to my attention over the past year, that you are able to wield the green and make it do your bidding, am I correct?**

Naruto nodded dumbly.

**Am I also correct in assuming you no longer have a contract with the toads?**

Another nod.

**What is your name boy?**

"Uzumaki Naruto, sir."

**There is no need to stand on ceremony with me Naruto. I believe that we can be beneficial to one another. This land was once our home, back when it was beautiful and alive. We lived here in harmony with the forest and protected it. But then, somehow, the winds changed and the sun burned brighter, and the green left for other places. We stayed as long as we could, always hoping to return to our home, but we never could since there was no green. And then, by chance or fate, one of my children ran across you in the sacred cave and he saw that you were capable of controlling the green.**

"Um, yeah, about that. Is it sort of like the Shodaime Hokage's Mokuton jutsus? You know, controlling the green?"

**No, he controlled the flora with chakra. You control the green's very essence. True, you use chakra to give life to the earth, but you actually control what grows instead of using the existing flora around you and bending it to your will. The Shodaime used existing flora, however little there was, and made it grow to suit his needs. **

"Ok…I guess that makes sense."

**Do not worry. In time, we will explain more. But right now, I wish to broker a deal with you.**

"What kind of deal?"

**We, the raccoons and all our brethren, wish to offer our services to you as summons, if you will help us in bringing the green back to the land. We want our home back.**

"How can you help me as summons? I wasn't even aware that there was a raccoon summon contract."

**There hasn't been a summoner for us in several hundred years. We are one of the most powerful and therefore, are reclusive and selective of those we aid. We have seen you and your deeds though Naruto, and have heard of your struggles. Tell me, would you not like our aid?**

"Of course I would Tsubasa, but what, besides your home, do you gain out of this deal?"

**Entry back into the world. It would seem that many of our brethren summons have grown too complacent with their summoners and allow anyone to sign the contract. The only ones to hold any scruples at all are the slugs and toads. Katsuyu and GamaBunta have always been selective of who they choose. To have been one of the old toad's summoners speaks highly of you Naruto.**

"Yeah well, I guess so. Tell me, what can you do?"

**We of the raccoon tribe are proficient in Suiton jutsus. Another reason we can be beneficial to one another. We can help secure you a better water source to help feed the green. **

"But we're in a desert. How can you be proficient in Suiton?"

**You forget young one, we were once of the forest. We helped keep it alive and water is a necessary component of life. Therefore we honed our skills to be the best Suiton users anywhere. **

"I…see. Tell me, what would I have to sacrifice to call you to battle?"

**Only what chakra is necessary to call me. About the same as GamaBunta. Would you like to sign the contract now? We have it all drawn up for you.**

Naruto stared at the names of the previous signers and found only two. The blood looked old and he wondered what the names were. They weren't written in kanji.

"Tsubasa, who are the names of these two?"

**Great warriors from a long dead race. Long ago, in what came to be known as the Americas, there were men who worshipped us like gods. The first was Telmet, a man of renowned strength. He could catch lightning in his hands and destroy his enemies. The other was known as Hiawatha, and he had many songs sung about him. He was our greatest ally and friend. We helped him reign in the Great Sturgeon of the lake and he, in turn, made our name famous throughout the land. Many praises were sung of us in folk song, but over the centuries after Hiawatha passed on into legend, our tale became one of the passing night and we were forgotten. **

Naruto looked solemn at that and bowed his head.

"It must be hard, being forgotten."

**Hai, it is. But that is why legends never truly die. There have been a few of our legends that survived. I believe your father might have some records on us. I have heard that he was a great learner of history from any culture, although we may have been filed under mythology.**

"I…see. Do I have your permission to summon some of your shorter followers to assist me with my classes? I know that they've been following me for the past year, I just couldn't prove it."

**Ah yes. The young ones would get most excited sometimes and allowed themselves to be seen. It is their natural curiosity. Wisdom comes with age and experience. I shall impart that knowledge to them later.**

"Would you like me to sign the contract now?"

**Please do. And then try to summon one of my people if you will.**

Naruto nodded and bit his thumb, already knowing the ritual for this particular procedure. Once his name was signed and the handprint made, the scroll rolled shut and disappeared by melting into water. He ran through the necessary seals and slammed his hands into the ground while shouting 'Kuchiyose no Jutsu'. What appeared was not a raccoon, it was a large coati.

The coati curled its tail behind it and blinked at its king.

**Tsubasa-sama, what am I doing here? Why did you call me?**

**I did not call you. Meet our new summoner, Uzumaki Naruto.**

The coati's eyes widened and it stared hard at the much smaller human.

**Uzumaki eh? I approve. We have not had a summoner since Hiawatha. Perhaps, you will be greater than he. I certainly hope you will prove me right.**

"I shall try my best…"

**Ranpu. My name is Ranpu and you may call me any time.**

"Thank you Ranpu."

**It is my pleasure. Tsubasa-sama, by your leave.**

Tsubasa nodded and Ranpu disappeared in a plume of smoke. He turned back to Naruto and grinned, flashing his teeth.

**I need not tell you how powerful or useful we are. You shall find out for yourself in due time. Sanzoku is to stay with you and be your own little personal assistant. He is tied to you through a bond in the scroll.**

"How? I've never heard of a summon like that before."

**He overlayed his pawprint with your handprint in the scroll and now you two are bound. He will help you as you go along. He is still young though, despite his maturity and I expect you to help him grow.**

"Um, how big is he going to get?"

**Red pandas are infamous for shapeshifting size so don't worry about that. He will accommodate.**

"Does he have to accompany me everywhere? I kind of have plans tonight…"

**He will stay at your side unless told otherwise, although I'm sure after today's events, he wouldn't object to sleeping while you go frolic with your mate. He looks rather tired.**

"Hey! She's not my mate…"

**Yet. Yes we've observed her too. She is a wielder of our cousins, the weasels, and is quite proficient, or so they've said. Kirikiri is supposedly very fond of her.**

"Who?"

**The weasel with the giant scythe.**

"Oh yeah, him."

**Indeed. I shall take my leave now. Sanzoku, you behave and listen to Naruto. Help him where necessary. I expect the green to start to encompass this wasteland soon. Goodbye for now Naruto.**

"Goodbye Tsubasa. I shall call upon you when I have more ready for you."

**Please do. I wish to feel cool grass beneath my feet once more.**

As the raccoon king vanished, Sanzoku leapt onto Naruto's shoulder and curled around his neck.

**Let's get home huh? I'm sleepy.**

Naruto didn't object. He looked to the sky and saw that it was nearly dark. He was tired too.

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Temari leapt to her feet when she heard the door slam and rushed downstairs to holler at her wayward housemate but stopped short when he raised his hand with an odd twinkle in his eye.

"Temari, Sanzoku. Sanzoku, Temari."

The bundle of red around his shoulders lifted a head and waved at her, eliciting a gasp and a cocked eyebrow.

**Pleased to meet ya.**

"What the hell?"

"Get lost furball, I got things to take care of."

Sanzoku bounded off his shoulder and streaked off for the safety of Naruto's room. Temari watched as the red ball of energy ran past her legs and turned to ask Naruto what the hell it was but she never got started.

"What…"

"Red panda."

"Where…"

"Summoning contract."

"How…"

"They contacted me."

"Why…"

"I can help them, they can help me."

"But…"

Naruto was growing tired of this game and decided to shut her up by kissing her on the lips. Temari wasn't expecting that and was about to deepen it when he pulled back and took hold of her face with both hands.

"Now Temari, I know you're tired and probably mad at me for not being here, but I want you to go upstairs and get dressed because we're going out. If you're a good girl tonight, I'll throw in that neck massage I know you've been wanting all week and a few kisses and hugs for good measure while I tell you all about my day and you tell me all about your trip."

Naruto turned her around and patted her on the butt in a shooing message as he ushered her to the stairs.

"Come on hurry up. I'm going to take a shower and get dressed. Let's go, we're burning daylight."

As he passed her on the way to his room, Temari stood shocked and placed her hands on her cheeks where his hands had been and then touched her lips. Only two thoughts ran through her head.

'What the hell just happened?'

'Damn, that was hot…'

**Yes, I know that red pandas are not classified as raccoons, but they were up until a few years ago, and personally, I like the little buggers. Go find a picture and look at them. I wish I had one for a pet...**


	9. Desert Vegetation

And here's Chapter 9. I haven't made up my mind to update The Melt yet or not. Look for it just in case. Hope you guys like the newest chapter of AUATD. Readers, Reviewers, thank you...**Live For Today**_ by 3 Doors Down._

**CHAPTER NINE**

Temari eyeballed her date from across the table, totally oblivious to the rest of her surroundings. Naruto slowly chewed his food, trying to draw out a little more time before she began to bombard him with questions. Out of the corner of his eyes, he saw her assume her 'cute, pouting pose' as he'd dubbed it. She leaned both elbows on the table and rested her chin on her cradled fingers, while smiling sweetly and batting her eyelashes. She didn't say a word, but Naruto sighed and sat his fork down.

"You know, you're getting really good at begging like that. Perhaps we should transfer you to the interrogation department. No prisoner would be able to withstand that pouty look."

She grinned and closed her eyes.

"I know. Now how about you tell me why there's an oversized rat in my family's home."

He took a deep breath and pushed his plate away. This might take a while.

"As you know, his name is Sanzoku and he's a red panda. I signed the raccoon contract earlier today and became the first summoner for them in hundreds of years. They had their reasons for contacting me, but I won't tell you yet. I'd rather show you."

"When?"

"Tonight."

"All right. So how have you enjoyed your first year here in Suna?"

Naruto smiled and took a sip of his iced tea.

"Temari, I love it here. This place has become my home more than Konoha ever will be. I love you guys. You treat me like a human being instead of a disease. It's a little dusty but I can live with that."

"How about your class? How are they coming along?"

"You should know. You hang out and watch whenever you're not on a mission. The class is great; those kids have talent, some more so than others. But they're all coming along nicely. They all have the basics down to a science."

"So? What are you going to teach them this year?"

Naruto rubbed his chin and sat back in his chair.

"I think…I'll teach them a few low powered jutsus. I'm going to request a taijutsu expert come by and a genjutsu expert as well. I'm not…very proficient in either of those. While I've come a long way in a year, my taijutsu is still abysmal compared to Lee's.

"Everyone's is abysmal compared to Lee's."

"Yeah, true, but my genjutsu ability is simply nil. I don't have any talent in it and these kids need every advantage they can get in the ninja world. If I can't give it to them, it's my responsibility to make sure that they get that education."

"Uzumaki Naruto, the poster boy schoolteacher. Never thought I'd live to see it become a reality."

"Me either. I mean, me, a schoolteacher. Who'da thunk it, you know?"

"Hmm. So when are Tsunade and Jiraiya going to visit?"

"They still don't know yet, but they're going to bring some of my friends with them to visit. Knowing Tsunade, it'll be a surprise visit so she can see the look on my face. Now enough about me, how about you? How's your past year been?"

Temari cupped her cheeks with her hands and leaned on the table again.

"It's been pretty good. I've got a gourmet chef as a roommate and he's also a pretty good masseuse. My year was kind of routine except for when I hang out with him. I always have fun around him, but he keeps dating other women."

Naruto grinned at the not-so-subtle jabs. Before he moved to Suna, he never would've taken Temari as a jealous person.

"Well, maybe this guy does that because a certain sandy blonde told him to date other women…"

Temari put on her own grin, hers a little more vicious.

"And maybe that guy should read 'underneath the underneath' a little better. When a woman tells you to date other people, that's not what you're supposed to do."

"Aw, but this guy doesn't know any better, I'll bet. He just likes to have fun. Besides, he always comes back to his roommate doesn't he?"

"Yes, and he's a sweet guy but it's like he doesn't notice me."

Naruto frowned and sat his drink back down.

"Now Temari, you know that isn't true."

"Yeah, but, I always have to make the first move."

'If this keeps up, it'll ruin the surprise I have for her…'

"Temari, you know none of that is true. Now, we're almost through and I have a surprise for you. You can ask me one more question and then we'll leave ok?"

She nodded and thought hard. As if struck by inspiration, she looked at him with bright eyes.

"What is 'the green'?"

Naruto was taken aback by her abruptness and his mind fumbled for an answer. He hadn't expected that.

"Where did you read about 'the green'?"

She blushed slightly and fidgeted in her seat.

"Well, to be honest, I didn't read anything about it. I kind of got bored waiting for you and flipped through one of your scrolls, but I didn't understand anything in it. What is 'the green'?"

Naruto sighed and stood, offering his hand to Temari.

"It's better for me to show you. It's all part of what I was planning to do with you tonight."

She couldn't even guess what that encompassed.

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As they walked, Naruto looked up into the sky. A full moon was out and he could make out the figure of Gaara on top of the KazeKage tower. Old habits die hard, after all…

He waved to the gate guards and kept close to the walls of Suna as they trekked to his land.

"Naruto, where are we going?"

"Remember, all those months ago when I asked Gaara for a plot of land?"

"Yeah, so? Oh, he gave you one."

"Yup. I'm taking you to see it."

Temari cocked an eyebrow and squeezed his arm tighter.

"If you've seen one sand dune, you've seen them all. No offense, but all the property in Suna is the same."

"Not mine. I plan to build a house here soon. Trust me when I say you've never seen a dune like this before. Hey, I can show you something else I've been working on. I found these seals in dad's scrolls and tried them out. They work great."

He lifted his pants legs and shirtsleeves to reveal seals drawn on pads under his clothing. She cocked her head to the side and looked at him quizzically.

"What do they do?"

"You've heard of gravity seals correct?"

"Yeah, they increase the gravity field around the wearer and help build muscle. Are those gravity seals?"

"Nope."

"Then what are they?"

"Resistance seals."

Temari stood upright and put her hands on her hips.

"Go on."

"Resistance seals are great for wind users. Instead of weighing the user down, like gravity seals, they create a pocket of air behind the user like a parachute that restricts movement and forces the user to put more effort into moving around. Kind of like gravity seals but without the excess force on the bones. This promotes muscle growth and helps your wind affinity at the same time!"

Temari eyed him hungrily. She was always willing to learn more wind manipulation.

"Can you make me some?"

"Of course. That was going to be part of my present to you, but now that the cat's out of the bag…"

Naruto formed a hand sign and the seals glowed for a moment before fading back to black ink. He grinned and scooped Temari onto his back.

"Now hold on tight. I'm going to show you the result of over six months of resistance training."

Temari nearly fell off when he shot across the desert, a cascade of sand rising behind him. She squealed with excitement when he leapt into the air and did a somersault. She was never more glad that she had wore panties, even if they were alone in the desert. Someone could have gotten quite an eyeful.

Naruto grinned as he felt her grip on his neck tighten. He enjoyed moments like these with her. The feel of her breath on his neck, her hair tickling his ear…he could do without her banshee shriek at the moment, but she was having fun. He could deal with it. The sight of his wall came soon and he landed atop the structure with aplomb. Temari slid off his back and pulled her skirt back down before he turned around. She looked around and down into the moonlit sand inside the walls.

"It's just sand Naruto. Nothing different about it at all."

He smiled and put his arm around her waist.

"Look closer."

Temari strained her eyes as hard as she could, but couldn't see anything but dirt. Naruto squeezed her hard and spoke again.

"Don't look at it like a civilian. Analyze it like a ninja."

She frowned at him and turned an analytical eye on the expanse of dirt. Her brow furrowed when she noticed a slight shimmer and she raised her hands to make a seal, only to be stopped by Naruto.

"So you noticed. It's a very large genjutsu, the only one I can do. I keep it activated at all times. Don't dispel it, just come inside and see what I have done."

Temari didn't say anything just wrapped her arm around his waist as well and shivered when she felt the telltale signs of genjutsu melt away to the sight before her.

"It's…beautiful…"

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Temari twirled round and round, taking in everything she saw with childlike wonder. This had to be a genjutsu, it had to be. Naruto saw her trepidation and sighed.

"Go ahead Temari, try to release it. I promise it won't disappear."

She put her hands together shakily, the ram seal forming and she cried out 'Kai!' as she closed her eyes. She kept them screwed shut, just knowing that she had ruined this wonderful illusion, but silently praying that it had been real, that it was just one more thing that the amazing young man with her could do that other's couldn't.

Naruto took his hands and caressed her cheeks when he saw she wasn't going to open her eyes willingly.

"Temari, open your eyes. It's ok."

Slowly, ever so slowly, she cracked her eyes open to be met with Naruto's smiling face. He latched onto her arms and pulled her into a hug as he lowered them both to the ground.

"It's ok Temari, this is all real. Just feel the grass underneath you."

Temari kept her eyes glued to his as she groped the ground beneath her. Instead of sand, she grabbed a fistful of lush green grass and lifted the blades to her face, staring at them in awe.

"This shouldn't be possible…"

"Sure it is. Watch."

Naruto snatched a blade of grass and put it to his lips, blowing on it and making a whistling sound. Temari stood and turned around. He had all kinds of flora here; trees of all kinds bearing fruit, bushes with berries, lush, green grass. It looked beautiful in the moonlight. She knelt by a small stream running through the middle and cupped some water in her hands. It tasted so sweet and cool.

"Naruto…how did you do this?"

"I harnessed 'the green'."

"What is it?"

Naruto walked over to a tree and sat down leaning against it. He motioned for Temari to join him and she sat down between his legs, her back to him. She moaned when she felt him begin to massage her sore neck.

Naruto knew how much she had been wanting a neck rub and decided to kill two birds with one stone. He only hoped that she would pay attention. He didn't want to have to explain this twice.

"Ok, you listening?"

"MmmHmmm."

"Good. Now then, 'the green' is a force that doesn't follow any laws of jutsus. It isn't a jutsu per se; it is instead an ancient energy force that drives nature's need to grow. I don't know everything about it, but from what I know, it is extremely picky about who wields it and several who have tried without its blessing have either been driven mad or have died at its behest. Get all that?"

"Mmmm."

"All right. I began to experiment with it a little over nine months ago, small things at first. Just grass, flowers, a couple small bushes. As time went on and I became more proficient in it, I was able to use more and more until I covered the entire plot that I was given. So what do you think?"

"It's beautiful, but what about a water supply? How do you maintain a creek through here without it drying up?"

"Underground springs and river. I spent a lot of time rerouting them to run underneath the property. The creek is fed by a spring in a cave up the hill. It's actually a very mystical place. I'll have to show it to you in the daylight."

"Why only the daylight?"

"Because it's a crystallized cave. Prisms throw light and color everywhere."

Temari formed her mouth in a silent 'o' and resumed enjoying her neck rub. The boy had really skilled hands…

"So what are you planning to do now? Will you show Gaara?"

"Of course. I'm bringing you, him, and Kankurou out here tomorrow. If he likes it, I'll see if he wants me to start on other parts of Suna."

"Why wouldn't he?"

Naruto shrugged and wrapped his arms around her shoulders.

"Because Temari, I've found in my short life that some people refuse to let go of the past, even when something better is right in front of them, representing the future. It's the reason Gaara and I were hated for so long, it's the reason change is hard to accept. Ignorance is the harbinger of destruction."

"But it's so beautiful. Why wouldn't anyone want life in the desert? We could make Suna into an oasis…"

"But Suna has been like this for decades and they might like their home. It might be dreary, it might be windy, and it might be sandy, but it is their home and to mess with one's home is to insult them. I won't do that without permission."

"Will you at least allow the rest of Suna to see your accomplishment?"

Naruto smiled and squeezed her again.

"Of course. I'll have Gaara take down the wall soon.

She sighed and leaned into his embrace.

"How do you manage to do all these amazing things without any one ever finding out?"

"I'm just awesome like that."

They sat and listened to the wind rustle the tree leaves for several minutes, enjoying each other's company. Temari, despite her excited disposition, couldn't help but start to nod off while being held in his warm embrace.

"Hey Temari?"

"Mmmm?"

"What would you say if I wanted to be with you?"

Her eyes popped open wide and she spun in his arms to face him. Her voice was hopeful as she gazed into his eyes.

"Do you really mean that?"

"And if I do?"

She jerked forward and captured his lips with hers. She'd kissed him several times, but none had ever sent a chill down her spine like this one. When she finally released him, she sat back and watched the starbursts disappear from her eyes. Suddenly, an unfamiliar weight settled in her hair and she reached up to pluck out a kate jesmin, her favorite flower, not at all a native bud to Suna. She looked up at him and smiled.

"How?"

He merely put his hand on the ground and she watched in fascination as a small bush burst from the ground, bearing three more of the white flowers. He placed one in each ponytail and leant back against his tree. She melted into his chest and let out a happy sigh.

"This has been one of the happiest nights of my life Naruto. Thank you for this."

"I'm just glad I got to share it with you Temari."

They laid there for a while longer until Naruto noticed her eyes drooping more and more. He picked her up bridal style and leapt over the wall to go back into Suna. Temari shifted in his arms and yawned.

"Happy anniversary Naruto."

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Naruto and Temari had gotten home late that night and as such, were nearly late for their meeting with Gaara the next morning. As they rushed through the streets, Temari berated her new boyfriend. They stopped right outside the tower, where she continued lambasting him.

"We should have gone home after our date, but nooo, you just had to be romantic and ask me if we could go steady in a beautiful place. This is your fault."

"Hey I didn't hear you complaining last night princess. In fact, let's go over who was acting more lovey-dovey back at my property, you or me."

Temari growled as she opened the door to Gaara's office. A loud 'harumph' from Kankurou brought the two out of their squabble and Gaara motioned for them to take a seat.

"Now that the two lovebirds are here we can begin a meeting, that those who were late, requested. What is this all about?"

Naruto straightened himself up and sat the red bundle around his neck on Gaara's desk. Gaara and Kankurou wondered what the hell it could be as it slowly unwound itself while Naruto spoke.

"I acquired the raccoon contract for Suna. Their leader, Tsubasa, wanted me as their summoner and I agreed. This is my personal summon, Sanzoku."

**Yo.**

The little red panda waved his hand merrily to the brothers and Kankurou nearly died laughing at the look on Gaara's face. The Kazekage, despite sleeping well now, still retained his jinchuuriki marks and he was not amused by the creature in front of him.

"Are you making fun of me Naruto?"

"What? No! This is serious. Suna has a new summoning contract. Raccoons, Gaara, raccoons. They'll be able to help us in all kinds of ways."

Gaara still did not look amused.

"As one who used to hold a demonic tanuki, I would have expected these furballs to be loyal to me. Why did they choose you?"

"I dunno. I'm awesome I guess."

**It's because he is able to help us. Kind of a 'I'll scratch your back if you scratch mine kind of thing'.**

"See? Now that makes more sense."

Naruto grumbled to himself while Temari took over.

"Gaara, he has something else to show you. It'll change the way we live in Suna."

Kankurou snorted. He knew never to count Naruto out when it came to surprises, but that didn't mean he wouldn't get any jabs in.

"What's he done now? Invented ways to skin summons for fur coats?"

A quick bite on the hand from Sanzoku let him know that such humor was not appreciated. Kankurou grabbed his hand while Temari scowled at him.

"No, this is big, really big. Naruto has done something that will blow your mind. He showed me last night after our date."

"Why after your date? You two an item now?"

Temari blushed and turned her face down slightly while Naruto grinned and threw an arm around her shoulder.

"Yep, now hurry up. I want to show you two my secret project."

Before he could even grin at his own comment, he was shoved against the wall by a hand of sand and one of Kankurou's puppets held a blade against his genitals. Naruto scowled and bared his teeth at the two as they walked slowly toward him. Temari had her face hidden behind her hands. Those two did this to every potential boyfriend…

"Naruto, you are not to overstep your boundaries with my sister. What she says goes? Are we clear?"

"Yeah Naruto. If we find out you've been treating her wrong, I'll castrate you in the most painful way imaginable. You got that?"

Naruto just glared at the two. While he appreciated the concern on behalf of Temari, these two were his friends and he didn't expect them to act like this.

"Sanzoku."

**Right.**

The two brothers turned slowly when they heard the deep growling behind them and found a grizzly sized red panda baring its fangs at them. Kankurou backed away quickly while Gaara let his sand fall. Naruto brushed himself off and waved his hand to Sanzoku, who shrank back to his small form. Naruto grinned and threw his arms around Gaara and Kankurou's necks.

"Now guys, I'm glad that you're so protective of Temari, but seriously, I'm your friend and I thought better of the two of you than that. You know that I treat her like a queen, so don't do that again."

He pointed downwards with his eyes and the brothers glanced down to find themselves on the receiving end of two kunai to the genitals, held by grinning Naruto clones.

"I'd really hate to take away your ability to have children, before you ever get started."

Kankurou gulped while Gaara impassively hit the clone holding him hostage over the head with a fist of sand and walked to the door. He held it open and quirked an eyebrow.

"Now that the excitement is over, shall we go see what Naruto has planned for us?"

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Naruto led them down an alley that dead-ended at the outer wall of Suna. Kankurou and Gaara each raised an eyebrow and turned to the two blondes. Naruto grinned and pointed to the wall.

"Use your sand to drill a human sized hole in the wall Gaara. I'd use rasengan but I don't want to take out the whole wall."

Gaara nodded and formed a drill with his sand and began chipping away at the ancient wall. The others stood back and waited for the dust to settle before they saw Gaara's awed visage. For once in his life, the Kazekage was taken aback by a surprise that didn't happen in a fight.

"Everything is so…green…"

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Naruto and Temari smiled as they watched Gaara and Kankurou explore the expansion of trees and shrubs. Kankurou lifted an apple from a tree and took a bite.

"It's so sweet and fresh…"

Gaara was walking amongst the small forest with a serene smile on his face.

"It's so peaceful…"

They both rushed back up to Naruto with excited looks on their faces.

"Can you do this to the compound Naruto?"

"Can you do this on a Suna-wide scale?"

"I think I can. There's no reason I can't."

Temari had been thinking of other things while they had been in the meeting. She motioned for her brothers and boyfriend to take a seat on the grass.

"Naruto, make a few clones to go get a blanket to sit on and get some lunch. We might be here a while."

Naruto nodded and sent his clones off to take care of their assigned tasks while he turned back to listen if Temari had anything else to say.

"All of you sit."

The three men complied and Temari plopped down beside Naruto. She sighed and looked up at the sky.

"I was thinking last night and this morning, after coming here, about the benefits this could bring Suna."

Gaara cocked an eyebrow and folded his arms.

"Such as?"

"Such as economic benefits. Think about it guys. We won't have to depend on trade for vegetables and fruits, or grains anymore. We can produce our own. With grass and hay, we can bring in livestock and have our own meat that isn't imported at an outrageous price."

The others looked at her with interest.

"With all this greenery comes water. Naruto has discovered at least one underground river here in Suna and it stands to reason that he could discover more. We could be totally self-sufficient, to an extent."

Kankurou wasn't so sure about all that though and voiced his doubt.

"But sis, it could take years for him to convert all of Suna into a paradise. It took him a whole year to do just a few acres."

Temari shrugged.

"Not like we don't have time to wait. He can do it in his spare time, little by little. No one's forcing him to do it."

Gaara nodded thoughtfully.

"Indeed. That is if the rest of Sunagakure wants the village to be covered with flora. I'd have to get a majority vote from the populous."

Naruto sighed and laid back on the grass.

"I'll do whatever you guys need me to do. I just want my village to be happy. At the very least I could purchase a few more acres from you and make a few orchards. I could make a pretty penny selling fruits and vegetables alone to the populace."

"At a reduced rate of the current trade percentage of course."

Naruto glared at Gaara and stared back at the clouds.

"Of course Gaara. I got price gouged enough when I was younger. I wouldn't even consider doing it to my own people."

Temari meanwhile had drawn her knees up to her chest and was watching Sanzoku climb up various trees and get the fruits off the limbs. She was startled when a soft feeling rubbed against her leg and she looked down to find a small raccoon kit.

"Well hello, little one. How did you get out here?"

Naruto leaned up to see what she had and smiled when he saw the kit. It must have been that small family that Tsubasa had said he would assign to live there, to see if the green was truly helping them.

"Go on and play with her Temari. She won't hurt you. Her family lives in the caves on the hill."

Temari giggled as the kit ran through her legs and rubbed against her, tickling her nerves. She caught the little ball of fur and held it down, poking its tummy, making it squeak in what she assumed was laughter. It finally ran off, back to its family, when three Narutos appeared with the items she had requested.

The rest of the day was spent discussing the plans for what to do with Naruto's newfound power and his ability to summon. They'd all left more refreshed than when they'd come. The Sand siblings had never had a picnic on the grass before and they rarely got to lounge in the shade of a tree. Gaara had never looked so peaceful as he slept, two of the raccoon kits curled on either side of him.

Naruto grinned as he lay in his bed, remembering the events of the day. Sanzoku was curled up at the end of his bed, kicking his feet. Tomorrow was back to class and he had a surprise for his students. They'd probably never tried to walk on water before…

**Kate Jesmins are a bush that my mother has out front of her house. They're a beautiful white flower that can grow several inches in diamter and sometimes take on a pinkish hue. I don't know what the scientific name is or even if that is the real name, but that's what mom calls them. And mother knows best...or so she's said...**

**Allright, this is for one of my reviewers, who made a request. I'm sorry that I can't find the PM you sent me to name you, but this one is for you. I thought it was hilarious, and so, I have acquiesced. Enjoy this little omake.**

It had been little more than four hours since Naruto had become the summoner for the raccoons and he had summoned several kinds already, but relatively small. He wiped his brow and stared up into the sky. He needed to get back soon to see Temari.

'One last time before I head in. I'm going to summon a medium sized one before I leave.'

Naruto pushed the appropriate amount of chakra into the jutsu and his voice rang out over the desert.

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Gaara sat in his office, reading over yet another boring proposal, when he felt a tug at the back of his mind.

'What the...'

He disappeared in a poof of smoke.

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Naruto was quite dismayed. It had been several seconds and nothing had shown up yet. He was almost ready to give up, when a poof of smoke erupted under him and he was lifted a few feet in the air. He heard the sound of someone coughing and looked down into a familiar rat's nest of red hair.

'Red hair?'

"Where the hell am I? What am I doing here?"

"Gaara?"

The Kazekage stiffened and raised his gaze to meet the voice above him.

"Naruto? What are you doing? Why am I here?"

"I don't know. I was practicing my summoning and you showed up."

Gaara let out a long slow breath.

"Naruto, you are never to speak of this to anyone, understood?"

"Yeah."

"Oh...and Naruto?"

"Yeah?"

"GET THE HELL OFF MY SHOULDERS!"


	10. Letters from Konoha

And here's the long awaited Ch. 10. Hope you guys enjoy it. I've been on a writing roll lately. Look for the next chapter of **The Melt** next. Readers, Reviewers, thank you...**Numb**_ by Disturbed._

**CHAPTER TEN**

Naruto hummed happily as he walked to his class. Yesterday had been, without a doubt, one of the best days of his life. He had a beautiful new girlfriend, the most gorgeous land in Suna, and a class full of spirited, willing young minds to mold. Not much could ruin his mood right now.

He waved merrily to Kari as he walked by and ignored the look of want in her eyes. He liked the woman, but she just didn't have what he wanted in a girl. She'd make some other man happy though…perhaps he should introduce her to Kankurou, with instructions to the man to _not_ be himself.

No one seemed to notice the red wrap on his shoulders, but then again, the Suna citizens seemed to tune out things about him that were abnormal. It was quickly made plain to them how eccentric he was when he arrived over a year ago and they'd taken that with a grain of salt.

He looked around the room and found it empty, no students had arrived yet. He was early this morning, but that gave him a chance to read the letter from Tsunade that Gaara gave to him last night. He hopped on top of the desk and crossed his legs as he tore open the envelope. A pile of letters came out and he smiled. His hand would be sore from writing to his friends tonight, but that small amount of discomfort would be worth it. He pulled a letter with somewhat sloppy writing out and read through it quickly. It was filled with well wishes and spoutings of youth from Team Gai. Neji and TenTen had each scrawled that they wished him the best of luck and hoped to see him again someday.

Lee and Gai had drawn a picture of the two standing with their arms around each other's shoulders, giving the 'good guy' pose in front of a sunset. Naruto smiled and sat the letter down. Those two were too much.

Hinata had written him a very nice letter, filled with well wishes and saying how badly she missed him. Naruto sighed and looked up at the ceiling. If he had stayed in Konoha, Hinata would have been a good girl to pursue. She was kind and giving, and most importantly, tolerant of his foolishness to the point of sainthood. He truly missed her and hoped to see her again one day, if only to talk to her for a while.

Her letters, besides Tsunade's, were always the most descriptive and detailed. He was happy that she was looking for love elsewhere, though she hadn't found it yet. Shino and Kiba were doing great and Kurenai-sensei was struggling to raise her child, although all the students helped her out, particularly Shikamaru. He felt it was his duty to Asuma-sensei…

Ino and Chouji helped where they could, but sometimes they faltered and Ino was easily led to depression. Hinata took it upon herself to help others and Naruto knew that his friends would all be fine under her watchful eyes.

His last letter was from Tsunade and he wondered how everything was going. With great curiosity, he whipped the paper open and began to scan the parchment.

_Dear Naruto,_

_I hope that you are doing well in Suna. Gaara has said that you are turning into one of his finest academy teachers and, though I am loath to admit it, you probably keep the little brats in line. Imagine if your parents could see you now…Uzumaki Naruto, the teacher. Jiraiya nearly had a heart attack when he heard that and I couldn't stop laughing for a week. You were always such a handful growing up…_

_The council is still adamant about you coming home, but I refuse to give in. I won't let them ruin your happiness. I won't let anything else happen to you if I can stop it._

_Your family's home was sold off to the Hyuuga's in the auction and they have since converted it into a historical landmark. Despite initial misgivings, Hinata herself has moved in and acts as the caretaker of the property, with Hiashi's blessings. I swear, that girl developed a backbone overnight after you left…_

_Jiraiya is getting along splendidly and, although he can't write without aid anymore, he still manages to adapt. He has developed his summoning to the point of one handed seals and gets those damned toads to write what he thinks while he peeps. I'll catch him one day._

_Unfortunately, Kakashi and Sakura are still sore about your leaving. We haven't heard anything from Sasuke or Team Hebi in over a year and that, in itself, is unusual. I don't know what to think about that young man…_

_The Akatsuki have laid low since then. Gaara and I keep up constant surveillance, but it's as if they dropped of the face of the earth. This worries me greatly. We don't know where they are or what they're doing, so watch yourself because more than likely, they're watching you._

_I don't know what else to say except that we all love and miss you. We want you to remember that no matter what, you are always welcome in Konoha. This will always be your home. Suna may be your residence, but you were born among the trees and water, not the desert. You can't leave that behind._

_I don't want you responding to this letter since we'll be visiting you in a couple of months. I want to see what you're up to with my own eyes. I want to know if you ever got a relationship off the ground. I want to see you teach. I want to hug you again. _

_I miss you and I'll see you soon._

_Love,_

_Tsunade_

_P.S. _

_The pervert sent you his newest book in the seal in the corner. Read it for his sake. Surprisingly, it's not porn, but an adventure of epic proportions. He said he's had it for a long time and recently completed it. He said he misses you two and that you're still a gaki._

_P.S.S._

_Anko caught him peeping the other day and broke his wrist. He cried like a little girl with a skinned knee for two days…_

Naruto chuckled under his breath and folded the paper away and into his pocket. So, they were coming to visit huh? Well, did he have a surprise for them. He wondered how Tsunade's letters always made him feel sad and happy at the same time, like they were in the room with him. His ears picked up the sound of muffled chatter and he looked up to see his class all in attendance. He'd been reading longer than he thought.

He leapt off his desk, his feet echoing against the wooden floor. Beaming at his class, he prepared to blow their little minds.

"Good morning class."

"Good morning Naruto-sensei."

"We'll be taking a field trip today. Just us, none of the other classes. I have something to show you. But first, meet Sanzoku, my new summon."

The little red panda hopped onto the floor beside his master and waved at the class.

**Hello.**

His poor little ears nearly bled from the squeals of the would-be kunoichis…

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Temari was glad her brother wasn't sending her to Konoha for a while. It would give her a chance to relax and kick back and she really needed that. After returning with those letters for Naruto, she was happy to have some downtime. She had a new relationship to cultivate after all.

Currently she was on her way to her boyfriend's property to spend some time in the shade, under a tree, with a good book. It had been too long since she had just relaxed. She knew that Naruto would be there soon with his class, but the place was large enough that she wouldn't be seen unless she wanted to be. As a bonus, maybe she could hear him give a speech again. She loved to listen to him talk.

Temari walked down the alleyway and up to the wall where they'd entered through the day before. It appeared to be whole again, but she knew it was merely Naruto's genjutsu encompassing any open space to keep up appearances. Taking a deep breath she pushed forward and stepped through the illusion, coming out into green splendor on the other side.

She smiled as she made her way to her tree, the one where Naruto had asked her to be his. It was decidedly the most comfortable place she could find and it held special meaning to her. She spread a blanket on the ground and flopped down on top of it, a canister of green tea and a plate of cookies beside her, and began to read her book.

She was halfway through the third chapter when a flash of gray caught her eye. She didn't turn her head to give away that she saw it, but her eyes cut to see what it was and she tried not to giggle when she saw the mysterious gray spot.

The raccoon kits were back and they were trying to steal the cookies off her plate without her seeing. Temari grinned as one crept forward slowly, its bushy tail wagging in anticipation. Before it could grab a cookie and run off, Temari caught it by the scruff of the neck and held it up to her face, grinning like a maniac.

"If you guys want some cookies, all you have to do is ask."

The little kit was embarrassed to have been caught and tried to make itself seem smaller, but Temari took no notice and sat it in her lap before retrieving a cookie and handing it to the ball of fuzz. The kit chittered happily and began to gnaw on the treat before curling up in her lap and going to sleep. Temari giggled at its antics and continued reading her book.

She was on the fifth chapter when she heard a scream and saw one of Naruto's students come flying through the hole.

'Guess he's here…'

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After prying Sanzoku away from his female students, Naruto had led the trek to his property with a befuddled class in tow. Sanzoku was perched on his shoulder, his tail frizzed out completely and he kept darting his eyes to the girls behind them. Naruto sighed and spoke without turning.

"Ladies, behave. Sanzoku isn't a pet, he's a summon. He doesn't like to be fondled."

The girls sighed and gave their affirmative and the troop continued on until they came to a familiar alleyway. Naruto turned and walked down it and stopped at the end. His students looked at him quizzically and waited for an explanation.

"All right class, listen up. What I'm about to show you is top secret. You can't tell anyone what you see here, not even your parents. I mean it. If I find out you've told anyone, you're out of my class. Understood?"

The children all gulped and nodded their heads. No one wanted to be thrown out of _the_ Uzumaki Naruto's class. Naruto smiled and clapped his hands together.

"Good. Now I need a volunteer for a demonstration. You, green shirt, come here."

The boy grumbled that he had a name and walked forward. As soon as he was within reach, Naruto grabbed him by the collar and pulled him up to face him.

"Tell me boy, what would happen if I were to throw you into that wall there?"

The boy began to sweat and stammer.

"I…I would probably be knocked out at the very least. I might have some broken bones."

Naruto grinned, his fangs visible.

"Are you sure? There might be something pleasurable in that wall."

"I don't think so. It looks pretty solid to me."

Naruto sighed and hung his head.

"I'm somewhat disappointed in all of you, but that's why I'll be bringing in a genjutsu master to help us. There is a genjutsu in this area and none of you sensed it. Tsk, tsk. And as for you…"

Naruto threw the boy headlong into the wall and watched as he disappeared. The students all shouted that he was crazy until they saw the boy just…vanish. Naruto turned to his students with a wide grin and put his hands on his hips.

"All right, who's next?"

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Temari smirked at the bewildered look on the student's face as the boy twirled round and round. She had had the same reaction, she knew, but it was funnier watching someone else do it. One by one the students appeared and they all stood in that one spot, mesmerized by the beauty of it all. Naruto finally emerged after the last one and waved at Temari. She waved back and went back to reading her book. This was her downtime after all.

"All right class, welcome to my home. This is where we'll be training sometimes."

A little girl poked her hand up.

"Sensei, is this part of the genjutsu?"

Naruto laughed and plucked an apple out of a tree and threw it at her.

"Take a bite out of that and tell me if it's real or not."

She sniffed the fruit and rolled it in her hands before chomping down on it and smiling brightly.

"It's…delicious."

The other students broke off immediately to explore the place. Some went to the trees and began to climb them, some took a drink of the water in the creek, and some just sat in the shade, enjoying being out of the unrelenting sun. Naruto strode across the grass to Temari and sat down beside her, giving her a kiss on the cheek.

"Hey honey. What's with the ball of fur?"

Temari looked down at her lap to the snoring little kit and giggled.

"It tried to steal some of my cookies and I caught it. I gave it a cookie and it curled up on me and went to sleep. It's a funny little thing."

"Yeah, the raccoon's are…weird. Sanzoku is a hit with the female population of my class."

"I bet he is. Where is the red poof ball anyway?"

"Hiding in the branches above us."

A pear fell onto Temari's head and she glared up into the banded eyes of Sanzoku.

**I'm not a poof ball, I'll have you know. I'm a red panda. We are not poofy.**

"You are to me. Raccoons are poofy compared to weasels. They're more streamlined."

**We are stronger. They are faster. We use water. They use wind. It's not a fair comparison based on things such as bodies.**

"You're still a poof ball."

…**I don't like you…**

Temari stuck her tongue out at him and had it captured by Naruto. She melted into the kiss and they broke apart when a collective 'eeewww' came from his students. Naruto sighed as he stood.

"It appears I have to begin teaching now that their curiosity is sated. I'll see you later ok?"

She nodded and watched as he herded the children together. This would be interesting.

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Naruto cleared his throat and the students quieted down, ready for their lesson.

"Now listen up. I'm not telling you anything about this place but my promise still stands. I _will_ kick you out of my class if you tell anyone about this place. This is my sanctuary and I don't want people knowing about it yet."

"Why does Temari-sama know about it?"

Naruto grinned and stood a little straighter.

"Well, she's my girlfriend. She has certain rights to be here."

The children stared hard at him and one of the girls squealed.

"You're dating Temari-sama? That is soooo cool!"

"Yeah, yeah, I know, I'm great. But we have to get started. Now, how many of you have been able to walk up the wall?"

All but two raised their hands and he smiled.

"Very good. I'll make clones to show you water walking and you can get started. Don't worry, the clones will explain everything. You two, come here. I need to speak with you."

All but the two children ran off to start their exercises and Naruto folded his arms across his chest.

"Can the two of you tell me why you can't climb the wall yet?"

The little boy and girl merely looked at the sand. They were embarrassed that they couldn't do a simple thing. Naruto knelt down to eye level with them and rested his forearms on his knees.

"Look guys, we have to get you caught up. Come with me."

They followed behind him slightly and heard him giggle when a girl shrieked about the water being cold. Temari cocked an eyebrow when she saw them headed her way.

"What do you need Naruto?"

"I need your help for a moment. These two are having trouble with chakra control and I want you to help me find what they're doing wrong so I can help them."

She grinned up at him and he rolled his eyes.

"And what do I get out of this?"

"I'll make your favorite dinner tonight, along with whatever desert you want?"

"And?"

"…I'll have a surprise for you afterward. Now help, please?"

She nodded her head and stood to face the two students with a raccoon kit perched on top of her head. She noticed Naruto's mouth rippling back and forth and asked what his problem was.

"Nothing, nothing. Continue on."

She gave her lecture on control and watched as the two students ran up the trees, correcting them as she went. Naruto kept snickering and she couldn't for the life of her, imagine why. She was being serious here. Once the kids were straightened out and could perform the exercise to a satisfactory level, she turned back to her boyfriend and put her hands on her hips.

"Just what the hell are you giggling about?"

Naruto's answer was to kiss her deeply and she felt a weight lift off her head. When she opened her eyes again, she found herself staring into the blinking eyes of a raccoon kit.

"Was that on my head?"

Naruto just snickered and sat the kit back on top of her head and smirked when it snuggled its way back into her golden locks. Temari quirked an eyebrow before giggling along with him.

"I always knew I had soft hair, but not that soft."

"Well it is very enjoyable. We'll come here tonight to eat and I'll show you that surprise I promised you."

Temari nodded and went back to reading her book, the kit still curled up on her head. She silently wondered if this is what that Kiba brat looked like all those years ago…

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Naruto whistled happily as he ushered his tired students back into the classroom. They had done well for their first day of water walking and he'd let them dry out on the grass before taking them back to the school. A good thing too, since the rest of the teachers looked at him suspiciously. He didn't want his secret out yet.

Once class was over, he trudged home and flopped onto the couch, Sanzoku lazing about on the back of it. He reached up and poked the red panda in the forehead.

**What?**

"Do you think I'm doing good here? Am I coming along all right?"

**You've only begun your journey Naruto. We still have a long way to go here. Just remember to watch out for those Akatsuki guys. They sound like trouble.**

"You have no idea. Well…guess I better get supper started. Temari probably wants to eat and have her belly rubbed."

Sanzoku snorted and rolled to his back.

**Your woman sounds like a canid. We love to have our bellies rubbed.**

"She just likes rubs period. The girl loves any kind of massage."

Without another thought, he rose and began making her favorite dish and desert. Kankurou, unfortunately, wouldn't get any chocolate cake, but his sister would take care of any of the remains. Temari walked up behind him as he was putting everything in the basket and wrapped her arms around his waist.

"We eating out tonight?"

"Mmmhmm. I want to eat at the property tonight."

"I guess that's ok. What about Kankurou?"

Naruto raised an eyebrow and smirked.

"He can eat take-out in the village. It's all about you and me tonight."

She smiled and went to grab her blanket. They might be out there a while.

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Naruto flapped the blanket out on the ground and watched as Temari began to take the food out and distribute it. He sighed happily and grabbed a bowl. He really needed to teach her to cook, so he could enjoy eating something she made. Temari was totally inept when it came to the culinary arts.

They made small talk as they ate, watching the small family of raccoons play by the stream and laughed as the kits played a game of chase. It was such a wonder, this small piece of heaven in the middle of the desert and Temari wondered every day when she woke up how she ended up with Naruto. Her thoughts wandered back over the years and when Naruto began rubbing her back, she let her body and mind drift in separate directions.

She remembered when she first saw him and nearly puked when she recalled thinking the Uchiha was cute. She remembered his fight with Gaara and how awed she was that he stood up to her brother even though he was petrified of him. She remembered his speech after he defeated Gaara, and how he crawled along the ground on his belly just to prove a point.

She remembered seeing him in the hospital after he fought Sasuke and how, even after a fight that should have killed him several times over, he was ready to go in a couple days.

She remembered when she found out his dark secret, that he was a jinchuuriki and all he wanted to do was save everyone. She was saddened when she recalled that back then, he thought he was supposed to sacrifice his happiness for everyone else.

But now he had come to her and she to him and everything would be fine. Neither of them had to be lonely anymore. They had each other and they always would. She whined when she felt his hands leave her shoulders and he pulled her to her feet.

Naruto looked up at the full moon and smiled. He couldn't show her in the day, but it might be prettier at night.

"Come on, I want to show you the surprise."

As they walked toward the hillside, Temari wondered what it could be when she remembered him saying the cave was prismatic. But prisms required light and it was dark out. She voiced her concern and Naruto chuckled.

"And since when has anything involved with me ever gone with the stream of normality? Trust me."

Before they cropped the hilltop to enter the caves, Naruto slipped his hitai-ate over her eyes and wrapped his arm around her waist.

"I don't want you seeing this until we get in there."

She stumbled a bit but since he held onto her waist she never fell. The sand soon gave way to smoothness and she could hear the sound of trickling water resounding off the walls. She felt Naruto squeeze her and thought they must be where he wanted to be.

"Can I take off the blindfold now?"

"Of course. You'll want to see this."

As soon as she whipped the headband off, her breath caught in her throat and she took in the sight with pure rapture. The crystallized caves were beautiful, resonating with every color of the spectrum. The hues and shades were everywhere and she spun round and round to take it all in.

"It's…gorgeous."

"I'm glad you like it. These are caves that are sacred to the Raccoon tribe and it is part of my pact with them that I will keep them safe."

"Why are they sacred?"

Naruto shrugged and gave her a foxy grin.

"I don't know. Maybe the furballs just like shiny things. I'm not a raccoon."

Temari giggled and wrapped him in an embrace, inhaling his scent as she leaned against his chest. She looked up at him and batted her eyelashes.

"Can we sleep here tonight? I want to sleep under the stars."

"Of course we can. We'll have to get up early though."

"You will. I don't have any business for a while. I'm off duty."

"Lucky."

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As they lay on the blanket beside each other, Temari snuggled further into Naruto's side, drinking up that otherworldly warmth of his. She was glad she had worn her long robes since the desert was cold at night, but beside Naruto it didn't seem to matter. When she asked about the heat he emitted, he had shrugged. She seemed to get that a lot.

Temari cracked her eyes open when she heard something go poof and saw that a clone had dispelled beside them. She was about to ask what it had been about when another blanket descended on top of them and Naruto further wrapped his arms around her. She nuzzled her head further into his chest, trying to burrow into him. She felt so drowsy around him like this, like his body emitted a natural tranquilizer for her.

She was about to fall asleep when she heard him begin to softly sing to the green around them. She closed her eyes and listened to his voice. It got better every time she heard it.

_From underneath the trees, we watch the sky_

_Confusing stars for satellites_

_I never dreamed that you'd be mine_

_But here we are, we're here tonight_

_Singing Amen, I, I'm alive_

_Singing Amen, I, I'm alive_

_If everyone cared and nobody cried_

_If everyone loved and nobody lied_

_If everyone shared and swallowed their pride_

_Then we'd see the day when nobody died_

_And I'm singing _

_Amen I, Amen I, I'm alive_

_Amen I, Amen I, Amen I, I'm alive_

_And in the air the fireflies_

_Our only light in paradise_

_We'll show the world they were wrong_

_And teach all to sing along _

_Singing Amen, I, I'm alive_

_Singing Amen, I, I'm alive_

_I'm alive_

Temari's eyes were almost closed and she could swear she felt the earth pulsating beneath her, as if it was happy with the song.

_If everyone cared and nobody cried_

_If everyone loved and nobody lied_

_If everyone shared and swallowed their pride_

_Then we'd see the day when nobody died_

_If everyone cared and nobody cried_

_If everyone loved and nobody lied_

_If everyone shared and swallowed their pride_

_Then we'd see the day when nobody died_

_And as we lie beneath the stars_

_We realize how small we are_

_If they could love like you and me_

_Imagine what the world could be_

Temari smiled as she allowed sleep to claim her. If only everyone could love like her and Naruto…

_If everyone cared and nobody cried_

_If everyone loved and nobody lied_

_If everyone shared and swallowed their pride_

_Then we'd see the day when nobody died_

_When nobody died…_

_If everyone cared and nobody cried_

_If everyone loved and nobody lied_

_If everyone shared and swallowed their pride_

_Then we'd see the day when nobody died_

_We'd see the day, we'd see the day_

_When nobody died_

_We'd see the day, we'd see the day_

_When nobody died_

_We'd see the day when nobody died_

Naruto turned to Temari's lightly snoring form and kissed her on the cheek before closing his eyes.

'I hope that was to your liking. I have to get permission from Gaara before I can take you any further, but harmony is nature and music, and all I can supply at the moment is music.'

He felt that little tickle in the back of his mind and the hum of the force he was allowed to command. It seems that music could soothe anything.

Those of the raccoon tribe sat and watched as several more plants budded in the ground, the green's thanks to Naruto for his work. Sanzoku put it best.

**The boy was born for this kind of work…**

_If Everyone Cared by Nickleback._

_Oh yeah, song is not owned by me and if it was, nobody would listen. I'm a horrible singer. _


	11. Leaves in the Desert

And here's Chapter 11. Things will pan out over at least a couple of chapters since there have been several things going down over the last year, so keep that in mind. Readers, Reviewers, thank you...**Move Along**_ by The All-American Rejects_

**CHAPTER ELEVEN**

The small group of Konoha ninjas were very thankful that the walls of Suna had finally come into view. It was a three day travel to the country at a moderate pace and they were all ready for a soft bed and hot food. Tsunade turned to her followers and smiled.

All of Naruto's friends had insisted on coming. All of Team Ten, Team Eight, Team Gai, and Iruka had come along. Jiraiya and Shizune were behind her, talking between themselves about their favorite blonde. Kakashi and Sakura had not wanted to come, but Tsunade had told them they would come willingly…or spend the entire time in the hospital while she was away. For Sakura, that could mean one of two things; for Kakashi it meant only one thing.

So they had begrudgingly come along.

The guards at the wall saw them coming and smiled. It wasn't often they got visits from allies, being one of the more out-of-the-way villages.

"Welcome to Suna! May we see your passports please and reason for visiting?"

Tsunade nodded and produced all their paperwork. She would have done her infamous finger flick to the forehead, but she had to be diplomatic nowadays. Besides…Naruto might not like it if she attacked his people…

Her mood dropped slightly when she thought of that. Konoha was no longer his people. But then again, Naruto had never truly been Konoha's when they didn't want him.

The guards gave the passports the once over and handed them back. Tsunade took a step forward but was stopped by a raised hand.

"Reason for visiting? You don't have a scheduled visit planned and Kazekage-sama was not informed of your coming."

"We've come to visit a former Leaf ninja who joined your ranks."

The guards looked confused for a moment before the lights seemed to come on and they smiled brightly.

"Uzumaki-sama? Yes, he's at the academy teaching right now. He has done very well here over the past year."

Tsunade smiled and nodded her head, happy with the report. As they walked into the city, the guards called out to them again.

"Be sure to visit the Kazekage first please! He'll take you to Uzumaki-sama personally!"

Tsunade just waved her hand and led the group to the Kage tower.

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Gaara had been having a typical morning looking over documents, signing where necessary, and sipping tea in between. Life in Suna had become a bit more hectic once Naruto's experiment was revealed to the public. It was about a half and half affair. Some wanted the green, others wanted to retain their heritage as the Village of Sand. Gaara had decided to compromise. He had commissioned Naruto to make several parks around the city and to start on some farms later in the year, around the planting time. This appeased most.

The richer denizens of Suna had demanded that Naruto use the green to make their homes more beautiful and had gone away somewhat angry and more frightened. Naruto did not take to being bullied just because someone thought they were better than everyone else.

"_If you want your land to be green simply for your own selfish reasons, then you had best get used to seeing sand forever. I have no intentions of helping only those who have the power and money."_

Gaara chuckled at that memory. Suna's small council had demanded that he make Naruto use his powers 'for the good of Suna' and Gaara had let out a small amount of killing intent to make his point clear.

"_Naruto's power will not be used for such petty purposes. His goal is to help Suna as a whole, not her 'noble' subjects."_

"_Then I suppose you might tell us why Uzumaki's property is a veritable paradise in the middle of the desert? That seems like he is keeping the power for himself."_

Gaara had not been amused and let them know as such.

"_Naruto has responsibilities to his new summons and will do as he must. This village will flourish with his help and I won't have that sabotaged by narrow-minded, power hungry fools like you. This council _can_ and _will_ be disbanded if this foolishness is pursued. Am I clear?"_

The council had left with its tail between its legs, knowing that they couldn't go against a former jinchuuriki and a present one at the same time. They'd be wiped out. Not to mention the rest of their little family…

Gaara rubbed his eyes and thought about how the citizens had reacted. Naruto had had the wall separating his land from Suna tore down slightly so they could explore. The children had been so happy, running through the grass, playing in the stream, lazing about in the sun. The adults had sampled the fruits, finding them sweet and tasty. Some had started toward the caves but were stopped by Naruto.

"_Those caves are sacred. Please don't enter them. My summons would not appreciate it."_

To prove his point, he had summoned Tsubasa and the raccoon had spoken as gently as a giant animal with a booming voice could.

_**We are here to serve Naruto and, by proxy, Sunagakure. We will help your village to prosper again and ask only that you respect our wishes and not enter our sanctuary without permission. **_

His request was met with respect and a little fear. After all, his teeth were very imposing and he could have squished everyone there.

Naruto had since been helping Suna little by little in his spare time. He started with a park in the middle of the city and had the raccoons help him bring forth a spring and form a small pond. He left the rest of the park's shaping to the citizens and was happy when they converted it into a peaceful spot. Benches for sitting, swings hung from branches…Some had even gone to Kiri and brought back fish to put in the pond and the waters of Naruto's creek. He'd thanked them profusely.

But what the park was most used for was meditation by the people. Shade was a commodity in Suna and being able to meditate in comfort outside was a blessing.

He had gone from there to the poorer districts of Suna, helping them erect small vegetable gardens and giving them directions on how to care for them. Most of the poor families had thanked him while bowing over and over and had asked why he would do this for them. Naruto had smiled and bowed in return.

"_You're my people now and you need my help. I'll always help if I can."_

Those small gardens were flourishing and the families had been able to use the money saved for other things, such as fixing up dilapidated homes and purchasing better clothing for their children. He'd relegated himself to getting them off the ground before moving on to larger projects, such as farms. That could come later.

Gaara was worried that his friend was stretching himself too thin and had ordered him not to use the green for one month. Naruto had protested until Gaara had pinned him to the wall with sand and sighed.

"_As much as I hate to pull the rank card here Naruto, you are a shinobi under my command and I order you to cease your extracurricular activities until I say otherwise."_

He shook his head at that particular memory. Naruto hadn't spoken to him for two days afterward. He got over it quickly though and instead began to enjoy the small vacation from the green. Gaara was sure the raccoons enjoyed it as well. Naruto had been running them into the ground, literally, in the search for water under the sands. Naruto's smartass familiar, Sanzoku, had flopped over at one time.

_**No more boss. Just go on without me. I'm…so…tired…**_

A bit overdramatic, yes, but it got Naruto to lay off for a while. Gaara chuckled at the thought of the strange red panda when he heard a knock at his door.

"Yes?"

"Kazekage-sama, some Konoha ninjas are here to see you."

"Send them in."

His eyes widened slightly when Tsunade and Jiraiya strolled in first, followed by all of Naruto's old friends. He stood and addressed them.

"Welcome to Suna, Hokage-sama. To what do we owe the honor?"

"No need to be formal Kazekage-sama. We're here to visit Naruto. But first, we'd like to hear how he's doing."

Gaara smirked, slightly scaring the Konoha ninjas and beckoned for them to sit, while he called for Kankurou and Temari. He turned back to the two Sannin.

"This might take a while. Sake?"

Their nods couldn't have been more enthusiastic.

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Temari sighed as she stood beside her brother, listening to him tell the Konoha nins about her boyfriend. Her thoughts began to wander as she grew bored. She had wanted to try to catch one of Naruto's lectures today, but that might not be possible. Since she was essentially on vacation, she had spent most of her time at the property, just whiling the day away, reading a book or, once the wall was put back up, lounging on the grass getting a tan.

_She had nearly been mortified when Naruto had walked up on her one time as she lay topless on the grass. But embarrassment soon turned to arousal when she saw the effect she had on him. _

_Temari was sure in her abilities as a kunoichi. She was deadly, she was efficient, she took no mercy. She'd been told she was beautiful before, but had brushed it off until Naruto had told her she was beautiful. She'd been told she had a perfect body before, but had scoffed until Naruto had told her that she was perfect. She'd never really though of herself as sexy…_

_Until she caught sight of how Naruto reacted to her nearly nude body. She was happy that she had that effect on him…happy and aroused. Her devilish side came out as she saw his pants stretch and she rose and strode over to him, her hips swinging and her breasts held in place by crossed arms._

"_Like what you see?"_

"_Uh…uh huh."_

_She grinned and bounced up and down slightly, and giggled when his eyes followed her nipples. _

"_Want to touch them?"_

_Temari loved to tease him and this was just one more instance of the subtle power she held over him. She moved up against him and placed her hand on his chest, her breasts pressed against him, and locked a leg behind his, rubbing up and down._

"_Or do you want to touch something else?"_

_She laughed hard as she got dressed and dragged her now unconscious boyfriend over to the shade and placed his head in her lap while she stroked his hair. He hadn't gotten a nosebleed, he hadn't had perverted thoughts. Naruto was an admitted pervert in private and being around Jiraiya pretty much destroyed his inhibitions. But Temari knew he placed her on a high pedestal and such close contact caused him to shortcircuit. He'd be fine in a little bit._

_She noticed that his erection still hadn't gone down and curiosity got the better of her. It wouldn't hurt to look right? Timidly, she began to pull the waist of his pants downward and her eyes widened when…_

Jiraiya had been watching Temari space out and grinned lecherously when a small trickle of blood escaped her nose. Thinking dirty thoughts in front of others huh? He'd have to find out what.

"Temari-san, you may want to wipe your nose. You have a little…uh, you know…"

Temari's eyes widened and she fished a handkerchief from one of her pockets and hastily wiped her nose. Kankurou grinned and elbowed her side, speaking a little louder than he should have.

"Thinking about Naruto again huh?"

The Konoha ninjas necks turned so quickly that she swore she could hear the crack. She cringed and awaited the volley of questions. Immediately, she was surrounded by every female but Sakura, who hung back with one leg thrown over the other, her arms crossed over her chest.

"So, what's he like?"

"Is he a good kisser?"

"Um, do you like him?"

"Is he good in bed?"

Temari's face grew redder and redder with every question until she finally screamed for them to shut up.

"I'll tell you what you want to know later ok? How about we go see what Naruto's up to now?"

Everyone nodded their consent and began the trek to the academy. All the Leaf ninjas had the same thought.

'He couldn't be that great an academy teacher, could he?'

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Naruto watched as his students walked over the top of the creek, some still struggling slightly, but every one of his students were able to do it. He allowed the other teachers to use the land on Tuesdays and Thursdays, but otherwise restricted people's access. This was his private property and he didn't want people thinking they could drop in whenever they wanted.

**Hey boss.**

Naruto looked down to Sanzoku and allowed the red panda to climb his leg and settle around his neck.

"What's the deal?"

**You have visitors coming. They have the Leaf symbol on the hitai-ate. Friends of yours?**

"Probably Tsunade and Jiriaya. They're all right. Gaara's probably with them. Heh, they probably want to see how I teach. Let's get the kids going on a lecture then, shall we?"

Sanzoku just nuzzled into Naruto's neck and went to sleep. Naruto clapped his hands loudly, the noise ringing out over the area and the kids came running. He watched as they settled down and let his senses slide over the clearing. Several chakra signatures were close and soon they entered the clearing. He cleared his throat and turned to his students, his voice raising slightly so _everyone_ could hear.

"All right guys, today we're going to talk about deception and its applications as a ninja."

One of the Konoha ninjas snickered and was promptly elbowed in the gut by Temari. She wasn't going to miss one of his lectures because of some dumbass.

"Deception is one of a ninjas greatest tools to use. With it, you can change the tide of battle in your favor or convince someone to help you. Deception is part of our trade. We are taught to deceive our enemies, but what about our friends and family?"

Everyone perked up and listened intently.

"Deception of one's enemies is acceptable, because they are not of your village and therefore, you owe them nothing. False information is dealt like candy in the ninja world and learning to be convincing is a plus. A good pokerface can save your life and the life of your comrades. Sadly, some people never learn how to gamble wisely."

Tsunade growled at the obvious barb in her direction. So, the brat knew they were present huh? She barely caught Gaara's chuckle and narrowed her eyes. She'd be good…for now.

"But deceiving your teammates and friends is quite another thing altogether. I spent the better half of my childhood hiding from my friends. I didn't let them know what was inside me and I never let it be known how good I actually was. Trust was a big issue on my team and while I wanted to trust them, I knew I never truly could. In my mind, if the knew what I held, they'd abandon me like everyone else."

"But I wasn't the only deceiver. I didn't know about Uchiha Sasuke's curse seal until it was too late. It was kept from me and it nearly got me killed. For the first twelve years of my life, it was kept from me that I was a jinchuuriki. Deception kept me from knowing my purpose in life and why I was hated. Deception is a double edged sword."

"Deception can be one of our greatest tools and our worst enemy. Henge is a deceptive tool that changes our appearance. Information gathering is a gamble because you risk your life for something that may not even be true. But lies among friends, family, and teammates are unacceptable and can kill you in the long run."

"Lies start out small and they grow. At first, it's about how strong you are. Then it goes to how smart you are. Then it snowballs until you get into a situation where you're not prepared and the cold hard fact that you aren't strong enough or smart enough comes to the forefront and everyone you know is dead. All because you deceived them and made yourself seem better than you are."

"Never sell yourself short, but know your limitations. Don't deceive yourself into thinking you're ready for something you're not. If you know you aren't the one for the mission, tell your superior and if they have any brains, they'll take your advice into account. But if you can do the mission, don't deceive yourself into believing you aren't strong enough."

He stopped and turned to where the group of adult ninjas were standing, his hands in his coat pockets, his back to his students. His voice rang out clearly as he spoke and wrapped up his lecture.

"If you must deceive someone, deceive only your enemies and yourself. Lie to your enemies and throw them off what the truth is. Never give them what they want. If you want to lie to yourself, then tell yourself you aren't strong enough and use that as motivation to get stronger. Surpass your expectations and soon enough, you'll surpass everyone around you. Remember, 'Look underneath the underneath' because deception can only go so far before you unearth the truth."

He turned back to his students and beamed at them, showing off his fangs.

"Now, class is over for today. I want all of you to continue with your studies at home. Read while sitting on the ceiling. Not only will it increase your concentration, you'll surprise your family and maybe get a decent scare or two. Now get out of here."

The Konoha ninjas looked on in awe at the way he handled the kids. This couldn't be their Naruto, he couldn't do anything right. This Naruto was calm, cool, collected, in control. Some hung their heads slightly. They'd let quite a gem leave their village.

The students all stood and rushed past the group of adults, who watched them go. Naruto stood with his hands behind his back, watching as they finally drank in the look of his land. Tsunade walked toward him and stopped short a few feet before bringing her hands into the ram seal and whispering 'Kai'. Naruto sighed and quirked an eyebrow.

'Everyone does that.'

Tsunade opened her eyes to find the trees and gurgling stream still there and wrapped her arms around her favorite blonde.

"So this is what you've been up to. I see you found Kushina's scrolls."

"Hai."

The sound of shouting and laughing came from behind them and they both turned to see the Konoha ninjas running around like little kids, checking everything out. The Sand siblings strode forward slowly and Temari wound her way under Naruto's arm while wrapping her arm around his waist. Tsunade cocked an eyebrow and grinned slyly.

"So the pervert was right, you two are together."

"Of course I was right. When have I ever been wrong?"

Naruto laughed and clapped his sensei on the shoulder.

"Every day of your life Ero-Sennin."

Jiraiya looked downtrodden for all of two seconds before putting on a lecherous grin.

"So, have you two, you know?"

The two blondes looked at each other quizzically until they realized what was said and turned beet red.

"NO! AND IT'S NONE OF YOUR DAMN BUSINESS!"

Everyone was astounded that they had said the same thing at the same time and the rest of the ninjas gathered round to begin the question marathon. After several rounds of hugs and hand shakes, Naruto sighed and looked at the sky.

"I'll bet you guys are hungry cause I'm starving. I'll send some clones to get takeout."

As the clones ran off, he sat down in the shade, with Temari by his side, and began to recount his past year.

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Temari hadn't realized that she had fallen asleep until she woke up stretched across the ground with her head in Naruto's lap. When he felt her stir, he helped her sit up and dusted her back off.

"Want some dango or some stir-fry? You've got to be hungry."

She nodded and looked across to find everyone eating while talking and laughing.

"Did you answer all of their questions?"

"For the most part, yeah."

Ino appeared beside them suddenly and flopped down, a bowl of stirfy in one hand, chopsticks in the other. She pointed at Naruto's neck with her chopsticks.

"Hey Naruto, what's with the scarf? It isn't that cold out here."

**I'm not a scarf blondie.**

Ino shrieked and leapt away as Sanzoku yawned and stretched on Naruto's shoulder.

"Calm down Ino. Everyone, this is Sanzoku, my personal summon. I hold the raccoon contract now."

Jiraiya perked up and sat in front of him.

"Really? I've never heard of a raccoon contract. Show me?"

**I'm not proof enough?**

"No. I've seen familiars that can talk before. I want to see him summon one."

Naruto nodded and walked to a spot that was very clear before he had a great thought.

"Hey Jiraiya, can you still summon Bunta?"

The Toad Sage nodded and stood, following Naruto up and over the wall. The others leapt to the top and watched as the two stood a few hundred feet from the wall.

"You summon Bunta first ok?"

Jiraiya concentrated and made a few one handed seals before shouting 'Kuchiyose no Jutsu. He rose atop GamaBunta and sighed when the Toad Boss began his normal rant.

**JIRAIYA! Why have you summoned me here in this dreadful place?**

"Heya boss!"

Bunta rolled his eyes down to see a waving Naruto and smiled widely.

**Oi brat! I didn't think I'd ever see you again. Ready to resign the contract yet?**

Naruto's grin drooped a little and he dropped his hand.

"Sorry boss, but I have a new summon. I wanted you to meet him."

Bunta nodded and Naruto flipped through the hand signs and soon, a large cloud of smoke erupted. When it cleared Bunta's eyes went wide, as did everyone's.

**Naruto, why have you summoned me?**

"Tsubasa, I want you to meet GamaBunta, the Toad Boss."

**We've met before. Hello…old friend.**

**Tsubasa…**

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Naruto left with the Jiraiya to rejoin the group, leaving the two boss summons to talk. Bunta started first.

**I see you've taken Naruto as your new summoner.**

**Hai, I have. He is everything I could have dreamed of for a partner.**

**Can he…control it well?**

**Hai, he can. Very well. Better than his mother ever could.**

**So, you plan to help him return this place to its former glory?**

**Hai. **

The two were silent for a while, until Bunta started again.

**I…wish he had not cancelled our contract. Is there any way I can convince you to get him to sign it again?**

**No. I'm sorry GamaBunta, but he is mine now. One day, you will find another worthy of you.**

The old toad hung his head and sighed.

**Maybe. But there will never be another like that boy. Even his father didn't have the level of potential he does.**

**I agree. And that's why I can't share him. I'm sorry.**

The two summons bowed to one another and disappeared in giant puffs of smoke.

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After everyone had gotten caught up (and accepted the notion that Naruto dealt with schoolchildren) they had all left for their hotel to rest after their trip. They all agreed to meet up the next day at the property and everyone would fill Naruto in on their time in Konoha. Tsunade wanted to talk to him in private with Jiraiya when she could and Naruto accepted. He also offered to cook for them, getting sparkly eyes from Temari and Chouji.

Naruto lay in his bed in the compound and let out a heavy sigh. Tomorrow, he would have a subsitute teacher watch over his class while he caught up with his friends. He knew many wanted one on one talks with him and all the guys had demanded a spar. No doubt, the girls would occupy Temari, trying to get any dirt they could on the couple's relationship. He looked up when he heard his door creak and saw the silhouette of Temari's hair enter the frame.

"Hey."

"Hey. Can I…sleep with you tonight?"

Naruto quirked his eyebrow and rolled his head to look at the slumbering form of Sanzoku.

"My bed is somewhat preoccupied right now. If you can convince Sanzoku to leave, you can."

Temari marched over to the bed and put her hands on her hips.

"Get lost furball."

Sanzoku never opened his eyes. It had become like a game between him and Temari to insult each other.

**Go fuck yourself with a barbed wire baseball bat. I'm comfortable and I ain't moving.**

"Get your flea ridden ass out of my spot or I'll skin you alive."

**Up your ass with a garden hose filled with rusty nails.**

Naruto sighed and lay back with his hands behind his head. He had to admit, these two were great at sarcasm. Pretty soon, the verbal banter would degenerate into physical contact. Apparently, Temari really wasn't playing around and the red panda found himself lifted by the scruff of his neck and booted out of the bedroom.

"Sleep on my bed tonight, you good for nothing fur coat!"

**Crazy bitch.**

Temari sighed happily as she flopped down beside Naruto and crawled under the covers, snuggling up close to him. He wrapped an arm around her shoulder and shuddered when she kissed his neck.

"I thought we agreed not to do this until I got my own place."

She gave him a pouty look and batted her eyelashes.

"Not even a little bit? Can I at least feel it?"

"No."

She growled and shucked out of her kimono before reaching over and grabbing one of his shirts off a chair. She whipped it on and turned her back to him, pulling the covers over her more.

"Fine! Good night then."

She felt him chuckle and found herself suddenly wrapped in strong arms that pulled her back. She wiggled a bit to get comfortable and found the back of her neck kissed. Temari mewled happily and shuddered when he whispered into her ear, her eyes already drooping as she melted against his warmth.

"Night Temari. I love you."

"Mmmm. Love you too."

Tomorrow was going to be a hell of a day…

**Let me know what you think. As I mentioned before, getting Naruto caught up with the Konoha group may take a couple chapters, so bear with me as I try to cover all the bases I've thought up.**


	12. Q & A

And here's Chapter 12. This little soiree might take more than a couple chapters the way I'm going. But we shall see. Readers, Reviewers, thank you...**What It's Like**_ by Everlast._

**CHAPTER TWELVE**

Naruto woke Temari up early so that they could get to the property before everyone else. He didn't know what they had in store for today, but he knew more questions would be asked and his friends would expect answers. Temari sidled up closer to him, his coat wrapped around her and yawned.

"So…what did they ask you while I was conked out yesterday?"

"Oh…normal stuff."

_As Temari faded off into blissful unconciousness, Naruto was gearing up to answer all the questions he knew were coming. His friends all gathered round in a semicircle around the tree and Naruto sighed._

"_Let's try to keep this somewhat organized ok? How about we start on the far end with Kiba and work our way back until your curiosity is satisfied."_

_Tsunade smirked and folded her arms._

"_Still in teacher mode huh brat? That's fine. Kiba, ask away."_

_The Inuzuka boy grinned and looked at his blonde friend._

"_What's with the clothes loser? Nice duds."_

_Naruto chuckled and grinned back at his fanged fellow._

"_It's mostly to honor my father. But…I guess a good bit of it too was that I just wanted a change. I like orange but it was time for a change. Besides, I look a hell of a lot better now, don't I?"_

"_Seems so. You look less moronic in any case. Welp, that's my question. Hinata, you're next."_

_The shy Hyuuga looked at Naruto and pushed her fingers together in her old habit. Naruto quirked an eyebrow and gave her a half-hearted frown._

"_Hinata-chan, I thought we agreed you wouldn't do that anymore…"_

_The girl eeped and let her hands fall into her lap. Naruto smiled. She was still good old, shy Hinata._

"_Um…I want to know…are you happy here?"_

_All head swung to Naruto and he leaned back further against the tree, absently stroking Temari's hair, causing her to smile slightly in her sleep. The girls all noticed and sighed. Why couldn't their guys (if they had one) be like that?_

"_I am very happy here, moreso than I ever was in Konoha. Not to say I don't miss all of you, because I do, but I'm not glared at here. I'm not talked about behind my back here in a malicious manner. People don't wish for my death. I'm…accepted here. The children don't run from me in fear or hate me because their parents say so. Yes, Hinata-chan, I'm happy here."_

_Hinata smiled at him sadly, knowing it was true. No matter how much she might have liked him, he would never have continued pretending to be happy in Konoha forever. The others all looked pensive and some looked away. Tsunade and Jiraiya just hung their heads, their inability to stop the people of their village from spreading hate against the boy glaringly obvious._

_Shino, the next in line, seeing that everyone was becoming illogically downtrodden when they should be happy for Naruto, asked his question._

"_I have a two part question."_

_Everyone perked up and Naruto looked at the bug wielder questioningly._

"_Where did this small piece of forest come from? It's like being home in Konoha."_

_Naruto frowned at the choice of words. It was true that his land reminded him of Konoha, but this was his home, made by him. It wasn't like being in Konoha, because this forest was _his.

"_I won't answer that yet. I'd rather show you at some point, perhaps tomorrow. Trust me, it'll blow you away when you see it."_

_Shino, though not satisfied with the answer, nodded and pushed his glasses up slightly._

"_Very well. My second question is…can I introduce some species of bugs here that I believe may help the environment?"_

"_Of course. Just nothing destructive or that may compromise my work."_

_Shino nodded again and sat back in a more relaxed pose beside his teammates. There was silence for a moment until Shino turned to the person beside him._

"_I believe it is your turn Ino. You can stop ogling Naruto now."_

_Said blonde blushed and shifted uncomfortably where she sat. Naruto smirked on the inside. Who would have thought Ino of all people would have thought him attractive? She finally got her nerve back up and stared him in the eye._

"_Any chance of a date?"_

_The others all groaned and Shikamaru looked…slightly peeved? Naruto snickered and shook his head._

"_Sorry Ino, but you had several chances over the years and never gave me the time of day. I think I'll stick with Temari, thanks."_

_Ino was visibly disappointed and sat back with her arms crossed in a huff. It wasn't often she got turned down. Most guys would give their left arms to go on a date with her. She _was_ one of the most desirable kunoichi in Konoha. Unfortunately for her, the key word was Konoha. She elbowed Shikamaru hard in the ribs, causing him to grunt and glared at him._

"_Your turn bum."_

"_Tch…so troublesome."_

_The pine-apple haired brunette sat up and turned a lazy eye to Naruto._

"_Have you become any more intelligent over time?"_

_Naruto quirked an eyebrow and nodded. What the hell kind of question was that?_

"_Have you learned how to play shougi since you've left?"_

_Naruto nodded again. Shikamaru grinned and lay back again to stare at the clouds._

"_Good. I challenge you to a game before we have to leave. We'll see if you've gotten better at strategy or not."_

_When he didn't say anything else for several minutes, Chouji leaned over to his best friend and put his ear close to Shikamaru's face. He leaned back up and smiled._

"_He fell asleep. Guess I'll ask my question now."_

_He took another chip out of the bag he was carrying and crunched down on it._

"_Any chance I can get you to cook a meal for me? I heard the Kazekage say you're pretty good."_

"_Sure. I like to cook. It's soothing. I'll make a smorgasbord for everyone."_

_Chouji smiled and looked upward towards the sky, watching the clouds float by. At least he'd get a good home-cooked meal here. TenTen glared at the younger ninjas and huffed._

"_What the hell? We're supposed to ask him questions about how he's been, not request things from him! You guys are idiots!"_

_She cut her eyes to an amused Naruto and growled._

"_How has your training been in the past year? Learn anything new?"_

"_Of course I have. I'll show you what I've learned…"_

_A pregnant pause came over them as TenTen leaned forward eagerly._

"…_later."_

_Her eyes bugged out and she nearly shrieked at the smug look on his face. She threw a kunai at him out of frustration which he dodged by leaning his head sideways and then rubbing his temple against the handle._

"_Thanks for that. It's kind of hard to scratch that spot with my hands full. You're a peach TenTen."_

_Lee laughed heartily at his former comrade's antics, earning him a glare from TenTen. His enthusiasm wilted but his smile didn't. _

"_YOSH! IT IS GOOD TO KNOW YOU HAVE BEEN TRAINING HARD NARUTO-KUN! MAY I CHALLENGE YOU TO A MATCH OR TWO?"_

"_Sure Lee, it'll be fun. I think you'll find me quite different from our spars before."_

_Lee grinned and pumped his fists, his flames of youth burning behind his eyes._

"_Excellent! I cannot wait!"_

_Neji sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose. He'd often wondered over the years what he'd done in a past life to end up on a team with such psychotic people. _

"_I too would like a spar Naruto. But for my question…what do you see for yourself in the future?"_

_The blonde had to stop and pause here. What did he want? A family, for one. Peace was another thing he wanted._

"_Really and truly Neji…I just want to live life. Have a family, raise kids, that kind of thing."_

"_That's…very simplistic Naruto. No more shooting for leader of the village?"_

"_Nah. Gaara can have that. I've seen the amount of paperwork it takes. He can keep it."_

_The Kazekage snorted from his seat beside his brother and looked up with his disinterested eyes._

"_When I decide to step down, you are my chosen successor, just for that little comment."_

"_I won't accept."_

_That little maniacal light shone in Gaara's eyes and his sand swirled around slightly._

"_Who said you had a choice?"_

_Tsunade coughed into her hand and the two stopped bickering, althought they still threw each other hard glares. The older blonde smiled and pointed to Iruka._

"_Your turn."_

_The schoolteacher smiled and rubbed the back of his head._

"_I don't want to ask too many question in front of this many people, so I just want to learn about your teaching style later. Since you were a horrible student, I just want to know what makes you a good teacher."_

_The party laughed at the jab at Naruto's expense and the blonde smirked at Iruka._

"_Digging for advice sensei? I guess I could share a few tricks with you. We'll talk later."_

_Iruka nodded happily and sat back, looking expectantly at Tsunade. The Hokage grinned and elbowed Jiraiya._

"_We have several things to talk to Naruto about in private, so I don't have any questions. Jiraiya?"_

_A perverted leer spread across the older man's face and Naruto was immediately on guard. _

"_So brat…is she a natural blonde or what?"_

"_I'm not answering that."_

"_So she is. Hmmm, is she any good at…things?"_

"_I wouldn't know. We've never done anything other than kiss."_

_Jiraiya spluttered and glared at his pupil._

"_You mean to tell me that you've been with this girl over a year and still haven't done anything! You're a failure as a student."_

"_Yeah, well nobody asked you, you perverted old bastard! And I've only been dating her for a little while. I've lived with her family for over a year."_

"_And you've never seen anything? A nipple, a curly hair, nothing?"_

"_I never said that…"_

_Naruto's eyes widened when he realized what he had just admitted and slapped his hand over his face. Everyone's eyes were wide, Jiraiya's grin was firmly in place, and he felt the grains of sand on the back of his neck._

"_Gaara…don't do anything we'll both regret. Remember what happened in your office that time."_

_The Kazekage's eyes narrowed._

"_What have you done with my sister?"_

"_Can we_ please_ talk about this without everyone here?"_

"_Hell no! I want to hear about it!"_

_Naruto glared at Kiba and growled._

"_Shut up! You're not helping my situation here. Gaara, we'll talk later. Kankurou, put your puppets away. Jiraiya…"_

_The old pervert perked up when he heard his name called and blanched at the vengeful grin plastered on his student's face._

"…_I'll deal with you later."_

_Naruto turned to the last two, Sakura and Kakashi, and frowned slightly. Sakura frowned back and he could tell that even though Kakashi looked indifferent, he was not happy._

"_I'll speak to you two in private later. I believe we have many things to discuss, especially my leaving the Leaf."_

_The two continued to glare at him and Naruto sighed as he turned his attention to the sound of footsteps. His clones were back with the food. He smiled and moved Temari into a more comfortable position._

"_Well, food's here. Let's dig in."_

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Temari sighed as they walked into her favorite clearing. She glanced toward the caves and blinked. The entrance was not there or didn't appear to be. Naruto had put up a very strong barrier to keep humans out. It still let the raccoons in though. 

She looked up at the stars still in the midnight blue sky and grit her teeth. Why in the hell was she up so early again? Oh yes, her boyfriend and his need to be there to greet the others. She let Naruto lead her to their tree and sat down in front of him, curling up in his coat as he circled his arms around her waist.

"So, what do we do now?"

He smiled down at her and kissed the top of her head. Temari might be a battle-hardened kunoichi, but she loved to be held and kissed. She loved the soft stuff. It wasn't long before sleep claimed her again and she fell asleep leaned against his chest, Naruto following her into slumber not long afterward.

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It was past sun-up when Tsunade led the group back to Naruto's land. She had wanted to get there as soon as possible, but getting the lazy ass ninjas up had proven quite a chore. Jiraiya had been a big help, summoning several smaller toads to wake up the ladies, causing them to scream, therefore making the boys jump out of bed thinking they were being attacked. If it hadn't been so stupid, she might have laughed.

She knew that, while Naruto had been a late sleeper in his younger days, he had since become quite the early riser. That was why she had wanted to get going earlier. She'd have had m­ore time to spend with her favorite blonde.

Next time, she'd let the rest just sleep in…

Tsunade stepped into the clearing and nearly 'awwed' the sight before her. The other girls weren't as subtle as her however. Even Sakura, who had become very icy since they arrived, couldn't help but think the scene was cute.

Naruto sat against the trunk of the tree, his chin resting on Temari's shoulder, while Sanzoku lay on the ground beside him. Temari wore his coat, wrapped up in it like a little girl, her head laid back against his shoulder, as they both snored away, oblivious to the group before them.

If that wasn't enough for the cuteness factor of the couple, then the small raccoon kit that laid sprawled atop Temari's head, nestled into her hair, certainly set them squealing. Temari heard the faint noise and her eyes fluttered open. She saw the assembled ninjas staring at her and gave them a small wave.

"Good morning."

Tsunade smiled at the girl and knelt down beside her.

"Good morning. You know, I never thought I'd see someone this comfortable with Naruto. You two look so…natural together. And what is that furry appendage on your head?"

Temari looked up and patted the small kit on her head, making it squeak before rolling to one side and going back to sleep. She smiled and left it there.

"This little fellow is one of the kits from the family that watches over the caves. He seems to have taken a liking to how my hair feels. He and his brothers and sisters do this all the time, especially when I come here to read and relax."

"So you spend a lot of time out here?"

"When I'm off-duty, yes. It's…comforting. I hope one day to actually live here maybe."

Tsunade smiled and stood upright. 

"Live here, huh? Sounds like someone has plans for the future."

Temari blushed and hid her face further behind the collar of the coat.

"Well…a girl can dream can't she?"

"She can do more than that as long as she loves me. Good morning everyone."

Temari blushed further and buried her head inside the coat. Naruto roared with laughter and squeezed her, causing her to gasp. She re-emerged from the coat and Naruto pecked her on the lips before pulling them both into a standing position. The little kit never budged, its feet anchored onto Temari's tresses.

Naruto cracked his back and neck and grinned at his friends.

"How about a morning run to warm things up? How about it Lee?"

Lee beamed and ran up to stand beside his friend with a gleam in his eye.

"YOSH! A MORNING RUN! THAT SOUNDS LOVELY!"

"Let's make it interesting Lee. A race to see who's faster. You and me, once around the desert, with a girl on our backs. Whaddaya say?"

The green clad boy's eyes sparkled and he pumped his fist, nodding his head vigorously. Naruto grinned and looked for a volunteer.

"Now Temari will be going with me. Who's going to travel with Lee?"

Not many were interested in riding on the back of the 'Beautiful Green Beast', but Sakura, surprisingly, stepped forward.

"I'll go."

Lee's smile spread across his entire face and he gave Sakura his 'good guy' pose.

"YOSH! WITH THE EVER YOUTHFUL SAKURA ON MY BACK, I CANNOT LOSE!"

Naruto rolled his sleeves and pants legs up, deactivating his Resistance seals. Jiraiya, being a connoisseur of seals, noticed immediately.

"Whatcha got there brat? A resistance seal? Who in the hell taught you to make those? That's a lost art. Gravity seals are much more popular."

"I know. That's why I learned how to do it from some scrolls I found. They work wonders."

Jiraiya nodded and stepped back while drawing a line in the sand with his toe.He knew exactly which scrolls Naruto was talking about. Lee and Naruto stepped up to the line and bent down to receive their burdens. 

"Lee, you'd better take those weights off. You'll need whatever advantage you can get."

Lee took the weights off, letting the plates pound a hole into the ground. Temari tightened her grip on Naruto's neck and Sakura did the same to Lee. Jiraiya stepped to the side and laid down some rules.

"Now, you two are to run to the River country border and back. Going around the desert would take too long. You are to touch the toad that I'll summon on the other side of the border and run back as fast as you can. No funny business, no shortcuts. Understood?"

The two nodded and bent over some more to get into a low running stance. Jiraiya summoned a large toad and it bounded away over the sands to River Country at high speed.Jiraiya raised his hand and dropped it. The amount of sand kicked up by the two was simply unheard of. They raised two new dunes in the desert at the starting point. Jiraiya stepped back beside Tsunade and spit some grit out of his mouth.

"That was interesting."

Naruto and Lee were neck and neck most of the way to the border and neither said a word, concentrating on their race. The girls, however, were slightly more talkative.

"Temari."

"Sakura."

They both screamed when the boys turned it up a notch and grabbed their necks tighter. Temari, cut her eyes to the pinkette once things were back under control.

"Are you still pissed at Naruto for leaving the Leaf?"

"Hell yes! He had no right to leave us alone like that. My teammates have done nothing but leave me since we became a team. He shouldn't have done that."

"I seem to remember you saying one time that you cried and begged the Uchiha not to leave. I don't recall you doing that with Naruto."

Sakura narrowed her eyes and stared ahead.

"No, I didn't cry when Naruto left. At least, not while he was there. I cried later. He was the one thing I could count on in life to always be there and then he just up and left."

"Sakura, his life there was hardly ideal. If anyone had a reason to leave, it was Naruto. Sasuke had it all and he left because he's an idiot."

"I can't deny that. Sasuke is an idiot. But he also has major problems. He's not right in his head."

"And that's just one more thing we're going to discuss between you , me, and Kakashi, Sakura. Now you two pipe down so me and Lee can concentrate."

The two kunoichi huffed and settled back in for the ride. They saw a large toad ahead wearing armor. That was their halfway point. Naruto and Lee ran up to the toad and jumped, landing their feet into the toad's belly. It grunted and looked down.

**What the hell?**

"Sorry froggy, got a race to win."

"Pardon me, Toad-san. I have to beat him."

Using the momentum they'd built up, the two kicked off the toad and flipped in midair, landing on their feet and rushing back toward the property. As the toad disappeared (literally), Naruto turned to Lee and grinned.

"Sorry Lee, but this is where I win. See ya at the line."

Lee watched with wide eyes as Naruto sped off with a happily shrieking Temari on his back. Once the shock wore off, he grinned and turned to Sakura.

"You should hold on Sakura-chan. This could get rough. SEIMON, KAI! KYUMON, KAI!"

"AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!"

Sakura's screams were lost to the wind as she nearly choked Lee. He set off after Naruto, the sand kicking up behind him in waves. The people at the finish line watched with wide eyes as twin wakes of sand bloomed out in the desert. Kiba leaned over to Hinata and Shino and asked.

"They can stop in time, right?"

Akamaru barked in response.

"Yeah, I don't think they can either boy."

Lee pulled up beside Naruto again and grinned at the blonde.

"I'm sorry Naruto-kun, but it appears you still aren't up to my level of speed."

Naruto grinned back at Lee and hefted Temari slightly, letting her know he was about to blow Lee away.

"Sorry, Lee, but I still have two resistance seals left. Take care now, bye bye then."

Naruto ran his hands over his thighs and felt the pocket of air behind him dissipate. His lips split into an impossible smile and the explosion of sand from his take-off bowled Lee over, causing both him and Sakura to roll across the desert in a tangle of arms and legs, ending with her straddling him. Lee blushed and turned his head away.

"Um, Sakura-chan, not that I mind, but you're kind of sitting on my…"

Sakura looked down between her legs and leapt up immediately, crossing her arms. She'd hoped to see Naruto humbled a tiny bit.

"Just take me back Lee."

Lee sighed and scooped her onto his back. He wondered if he'd ever break her shell.

Naruto ran full speed toward the finish line and blew by it, throwing sand over everyone. He ran straight up the wall and jumped for the creek, trying to slow his descent. Temari saw what he was doing and hollered in his ear.

"Don't you dare land there! NARUTO!"

The group of Konoha ninjas heard the scream and saw the water cascade over the wall and ran to see what happened, Lee and Sakura right behind them. They found a fierce-looking Temari straddling Naruto's waist in a low section of the creek, totally soaked, and strangling her laughing boyfriend.

"I told you not to land there! Why in the hell did you insist on landing there?"

"Because you're beautiful when you're wet."

She let go of him and stood up in the creek, planting a foot in his stomach, knocking the air out of him, and stepped over him, before sitting down on his coat and letting the sun start to dry her out.

"…idiot…"

Naruto laughed again and stood up, shaking himself and sending water spraying everywhere. Lee appeared next to him, his fist shaking.

"OOOOO…Naruto-kun, you're youthfulness knows no bounds. You actually beat me in a footrace…while I had two gates open…YOU ARE A PRIME EXAMPLE OF THE SPRINGTIME OF YOUTH! I SHALL REDOUBLE MY TRAINING IN ORDER TO BEAT YOU!"

Naruto laughed and slapped his friend on the back.

"That's great Lee. I look forward to our next race. Rest up and we'll have a spar before you all leave."

Lee nodded and turned around to find all the Konoha ninjas with gaping stares. He looked at them quizzically.

"What?"

TenTen stepped up and touched the two on the faces.

"Just seeing if you two were actually for real or not. That was amazing."

The two grinned and Naruto nodded.

"Of course we're amazing. We're the dobes remember? We have an obligation to be amazing."

The Konoha ninjas all groaned and Tsunade smacked him on the head.

"…idiot…"

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Once everyone had settled down, Naruto looked at them all seriously and put his hands on his hips.

"Now look. I know you're all curious about how this place came to be like this. Well, I did it."

Ino snorted and he looked toward her.

"Something you'd like to say Ino?"

"Yeah, I do. I grew up in a flower shop and I know that you simply can't transplant flowers and trees in an uninhabitable place like this. I don't know where you found a water source, but it isn't enough to make this much grow in just a year. Something like this would take years."

Naruto nodded and put his hands behind his back.

"That's all correct Ino, but it doesn't apply to me. I control 'the green', I can do whatever I want."

The group looked confused and let Ino be their spokesperson.

"The green? What the hell is 'the green'?"

"I'll show you. Follow me."

Naruto led them back over the wall and sat down just a few feet from it. He crossed his legs and clapped his hands together, seeming as if he was praying. 

"Watch."

The Konoha nins watched carefully as he seemed to glow slightly and his hair waved slightly in a nonexistent breeze. Naruto closed his eyes and concentrated, calling on his unseen ally.

Everyone watched with wide eyes as grass began to sprout around Naruto and flow outward toward them.

Soon, it stopped just behind them and trees began to grow until they stood at full height. 

Flowers bloomed of every color and type and everyone watched as fruit bloomed from the trees. 

Naruto opened his eyes slowly and blinked, taking in the look on everyone's faces. They were a mixture of awe and elature. Ino whispered out, somewhat loudly.

"No way…the Shodaime's power…"

"No."

She swung her head to look at Naruto and her eyes pled for an answer.

"What do you mean 'no'?"

"It's not the Shodaime's power. It's the green. It's the primal source that guides all plant life on this planet."

"And you control it?"

He nodded to her and her eyes widened again.

"Yes, I control it."

"Naruto…how do you do these things?"

"I…just find a way to do these things. I have more to show you guys, much more. This is just the tip of the iceberg. But I want to see what you've all learned as well."

He stood and plucked four gardenias and placed them in the ponytails on Temari's head.Wrapping an arm around her shoulders,he turned to face his friends. Every one had a startled look on their face. If he improved this much in just a year…how far had he really come? Naruto grinned at the looks on their faces.

"I think I'd like to spar Lee later on today, but until then, I want to talk to him, Neji, and TenTen. The rest of you go and explore the city, have fun. Just don't enter those caves I told you about. I'd hate to have to…discipline you for entering sacred ground. I'll see the rest of you at lunch at the compound."

The rest of the ninjas turned to walk away and gathered at the entrance that led back to Suna. Iruka turned around and told them his plan.

"I want to know what the people of this village think of Naruto and I think we should start with his students. They have the most interaction with him."

The others nodded and went to find the school with him. Tsunade and Jiraiya went to talk to Gaara. Naruto sat Team Gai down in the shade of a tree and looked to them.

"Ok guys, so…what do you want to do first?"

The three looked at each other and grinned evilly. Neji answered for them.

"We each want to spar with you, to see how far you've come."

"Light contact?"

TenTen grinned and produced a staff from nowhere.

"Nah, that's boring. We prefer…full contact."

Naruto grinned and leapt away from them.

"Just how I like it."

**Let me know what you think. Remember, it ain't over yet...**


	13. Sanzoku does not impress the ladies

And here's Chaper 13. Just keeping the reunion rolling. Readers, Reviewers, thank you...**My Girl **_by Alabama._

_I have now reached over 1000 alerts for An Uzumaki Amonsgst the Dunes. That's a big milestone. Thanks to all of you who made it happen._

**CHAPTER THIRTEEN**

Lee tried to run forward, but fell onto his backside and sprawled out on the ground.

"Darn, I knew I shouldn't have opened the gates for a simple race. But I wanted to impress Sakura-chan…"

TenTen glared at her fallen teammate and spuna kunai by its ring.

"We told you not to overexert yourself while you were racing. You knew we were going to try to spar him today, but you had to be hard headed."

"But it was a youthful race…"

"Lee, just lie back and be quiet. TenTen and I will need all our concentration."

Lee sighed and propped himself up against a tree. Sitting out of a fight sucked…

Naruto stretched himself out a little more and readied himself for whatever they threw at him.

"Sanzoku…"

**Got it boss.**

The members of Team Gai watched with wide eyes as the small red panda grew until he was the size of a horse…and then grinned at them.

**Been a long time since I've been in a fight. Be gentle huh?**

TenTen and Neji nodded dumbly. They thought it should be the other way around. The claws on the creature were nearly as long as one of TenTen's kunai. Naruto smiled and got into a low crouch. Without warning he shot forward and threw a kick at Neji's gut. The Hyuuga luckily had his Byakugan activated already and blocked the kick with his forearm. Bad idea, he realized, as Naruto's kicks were now on par with Lee's. Even blocking them hurt.

Naruto used the block to pivot off to the side and launch at punch at TenTen. The girl ducked out of the way and chucked a kunai at his chest. Naruto caught it as he backflipped away and came up swinging it on his finger.

"Come on you two, get serious. I've spent over a year training and I want to see what you can do."

"Well, you haven't exactly shown us anything yet that proves you've improved."

TenTen was about to respond but found herself blocking a large claw, courtesy of a red panda.

**You're pretty cute you know…I'd much prefer the boss go out with someone who looks like a panda than that insane chick he's dating. But alas…let's see what you got.**

TenTen growled and unsealed a sword from one of her scrolls.

"Bring it on furball."

Sanzoku raised his hackles and growled.

**Now you remind me of her…**

He leapt toward her and they began to fight in a ball of fur and steel, curses and shrieks.

Naruto grinned and formed a Rasengan in his right hand. Neji quirked an eyebrow and smirked.

"So you're able to make it with one hand now huh? That still doesn't prove anything."

"Perhaps…or maybe, as you're about to find out, it proves that I've accomplished a lot."

Naruto dashed forward and thrust the sphere toward Neji, who grimaced and began the preparations for his Kaiten. Naruto's grin was audible from the sky as he leapt into the air.

"I've always wanted to know what would happen if two spheres traveling in opposite directions met!"

Neji's eyes went wide with fear as Naruto plowed the rasengan into the kaiten, laughing like a maniac.

The resulting explosion blew them all in different directions.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

As Iruka and the group walked inside the classroom that Naruto usually occupied and introduced themselves to the class, they felt the shake from Naruto and Neji's explosion. Kiba grabbed the wall and looked around frantically.

"What the hell was that?"

The Konoha ninjas looked to the students and substitute for an answer and found…amused faces? The substitute chuckled and shook her head.

"That was probably just Uzumaki-san trying out a new jutsu. Don't worry; it's a common occurrence here in Suna. Besides, his chakra signature when he does things like this is large enough that everyone feels it."

"Yeah, Naruto-sensei is really strong. He's always doing something like this."

Iruka smiled and walked to the front of the class. He looked out over the small group and wondered what Naruto could possibly teach them. The rest of the Konoha nins stood against the wall behind him. This was Iruka's domain.

"Hello everyone. My name is Iruka and I was Naruto's old sensei in his academy days. These people behind me are his friends. We just want to know what Naruto is teaching you and what you think of him."

The students perked up when they heard Iruka introduce himself. One of the girls raised her hand. Iruka pointed to her.

"So you're Iruka-sensei? I always thought you'd be…bigger. Naruto-sensei talks about you all the time."

"He does?"

The girl nodded and a boy stood up.

"He's told us all about his time in the academy and how he was the dobe of his class. He's told us all about you too, how you used to get onto him for being dumb all the time and doing stupid things. He has a lot of respect for you."

Iruka beamed and sat down on the desk.

"Tell me what you think of Naruto."

The class immediately came to life. Iruka let some of his teaching ability come back out, showing the class where Naruto had gotten his intimidation tactics from.

"QUIET! Um…heh heh…anyway, we'll start over here. You on the end."

The boy stood and bowed.

"Naruto-sensei is a great teacher. He's taught us all how to do so much in just a year. We can all do henge, kawarimi, and bunshin without difficulty. And he's taught us morals and stuff like that."

Sakura snorted and everyone turned to look at her.

"Morals? Naruto? Like what?"

The boy glared and straightened his backbone. No one talked bad about his teacher.

"He's taught us that to be a traitor is the highest crime there is. That emotions are useful in battle, but should be carefully managed. And that you should always follow your own path. He teaches us more than the Leaf teaches their genin."

"Uh huh. Those are all basic skills that any ninja should know. What are you kids, twelve?"

"We're nine. We're a second year class. Come on guys, let's show them what else Naruto-sensei has taught us."

The Konoha ninjas watched with wide eyes as the students walked up the walls and stood on the ceiling with their arms crossed. That wasn't taught to second year students in Konoha. Iruka was the first to get over his shock.

"How long have you known how to climb walls?"

"Since the first year. Naruto-sensei is teaching us how to walk on water as well."

Iruka spluttered and looked back at his former students. If this is what Naruto was bringing to Suna in regards to teaching, then Konoha had a lot of catching up to do. He didn't miss the smiles on all the ninjas faces though. Naruto was actually a hell of a teacher.

"All right, you've proven your point. You can come down now."

The Suna students all flipped to the floor, landing lightly, and took their seats again. Iruka smiled at them and crossed his arms.

"You all have no idea how proud I am of Naruto, that he could take you all this far in so little time. I think…a revision of how we do things in Konoha may be in order. But that's for later. Tell me what he's been up to."

One of the girls in the back stood up.

"Naruto-sensei has been working to make Suna greener. He's always doing something. And while we're in class, he usually has his Kage Bunshin working on reading or working on jutsus. In the evenings, he spends time with Temari-sama if she's home."

The sound of the door opening was heard and everyone watched as Sakura walked out. Hinta looked at Ino and the blonde nodded, before smiling at the children.

"Sorry everyone. We have a bit of 'girl business' to take care of. We'll see the rest of you at lunch ok?"

The boys all nodded and Iruka frowned, but put his smile back on as he turned back to the children.

"Let's hear some more about Naruto-sensei huh?"

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"What the hell Sakura? Why'd you walk out?"

The pinkette turned to find the blonde and brunette following her. She sighed and pushed her hair back.

"I don't want to hear some little brats talk about how great Naruto's life is. I didn't come here to hear about how awesome it is that he lives in Suna."

"Sakura, I don't know why you're acting like this, but you need to stop. Naruto wasn't happy in Konoha. He wasn't accepted in Konoha. Why begrudge him happiness?"

Sakura turned to Hinata and frowned.

"I seem to remember Sasuke not being happy in Konoha, but everyone tried to bring him back, Naruto especially."

"He did that for you. And I'm pretty sure that Sasuke was _very_ well accepted in Konoha. The question is, why are you and Kakashi being so resentful of Naruto?"

"Because he left! I don't have anyone anymore. My whole team is gone, left, just up and quit! What would you do if Kiba or Shino just up and left? Or Shikamaru and Chouji? What if they just said they weren't happy and left?"

Ino frowned and crossed her arms.

"But they aren't hated like Naruto was. They don't have a reason to leave. Damn it Sakura, why not just accept that he isn't coming back? Why not move on?"

They saw the tears piling up in Sakura's eyes as she tried to hold them back.

"He always told me I wouldn't have to do things alone. That he'd always be there. Well guess what? He's not there anymore and I'll never forgive him."

They watched as she stomped off somewhere and Ino heard Hinata sigh.

"I'm not happy he left either…but Naruto deserves happiness above all of us. I don't despise him for wanting to be wanted and loved."

Ino watched as Sakura faded into the heatwaves and turned around to go rejoin the group, Hinata following her. They'd have to find Sakura before lunch.

"Me either."

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TenTen panted as she laid on the ground. That summon of Naruto's sure could fight. It was like the thing was born for it. Hell, it had even thrown some water jutsus at her! She turned her head to find Neji and Naruto still fighting, although Neji was barely on his feet at this point. The pale-eyed man panted and settled back into his Jyuuken stance.

"Where do you keep getting energy from? It's like a repeat of our match from all those years ago. What pisses me off the most is that you're just a chuunin!"

Naruto grinned and took a step backward.

"Neji, you've always known I wasn't normal. And besides, genin, chuuning, jounin? They're just titles. I don't need to be a jounin to beat you. Let me show you one of my favorite new jutsu that I've learned."

Neji watched and prepared himself to use another Kaiten as Naruto began to spin himself like a top. From the middle of the whirlwind, he heard the blonde's voice.

"This is a little jutsu known as a tornado. It's not really a jutsu at all, merely spinning fast enough to allow my wind element to infuse around me and keep the air moving. The really fun part is that it picks up the sand around me and turns this fluctuation of air into a sandblaster, capable of peeling skin off the bones. Best part? Once I get the air flowing, its selfsustaining. No more effort needed on my part."

Neji's eyes widened as he saw the tornado begin to move forward.

"I'd use kaiten if I were you Neji."

With a curse under his breath, the Hyuuga began to spin furiously, actually feeling the impact as the tornado collided with his chakra shield. TenTen's and Lee's eyes widened as they felt the wind whip at them, opening small gashes in their arms and legs.

Neji felt like he was inside a blender. The air pressure was incredible. But it had to end at some point. He simply had to outlast Naruto with his Kaiten. He could do it.

Naruto's eyes shone with glee. He hadn't had this much fun in forever. Neji was proving to be a formidable opponent, just as he was back then. He gave the tornado a bit more of a push and watched as Neji exploded backward, skidding along the ground before coming to rest in the creek. Naruto rushed over to him immediately and laughed when he saw Neji's blissful look as the water caressed his wounds. The Hyuuga opened his eyes and let out a small chuckle.

"It seems, once again, you've left me laying on my back after a fight. Can we go to lunch now? I've worked up quite an appetite."

"Yeah, can we Naruto? Your summon really wore me out. Rest sounds good."

"Yosh! I, too, would like to rest. Perhaps I will feel like sparring you tomorrow."

Naruto sighed as he made some clones to carry them back to the compound.

"Sorry Lee, but tomorrow I'm talking to Ino, Shikamaru, and Chouji I think. I don't know what they plan to do, but if Shikamaru wants a game, I imagine I'll be there quite a while. We'll see what I can arrange though."

Lee nodded wearily as he and his teammates were carried through the streets. At least lunch would be good.

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"And that's what's going on in Konoha, Gaara. You realize of course, that once I tell the council of all that Naruto has accomplished here, they will demand he be sent back to Konoha."

"Naruto is of the Sand now. I won't allow him to be sent back to a place that does not appreciate him, a place that would try to exploit him."

Tsunade frowned and bit her lip.

"I know that Gaara, but I'm just saying that that is what they'll do."

Jiraiya nodded and put in his two cents.

"The boy is the son of our greatest hero. I agree, it was stupid of the council to deny him his heritage, but they'll know he took his parents' scrolls when they hear of him using some of his father's skills."

Gaara leveled a glare at the Toad Sage and grunted.

"They don't know what was in those scrolls since Naruto burned them before he left. The only jutsus of his father's they would recognize are Hiraishin and the Rasengan. Anything else would be too obscure and undocumented."

"It doesn't matter Gaara. They want the Fourth's blood back in Konoha and they may get desperate to get it. I can't keep an eye on them all the time."

Gaara sighed and nodded. Why, oh why, did his friend have to be such a headache, even when he wasn't present? Gaara stood and made his way toward the door. Jiraiya raised an eyebrow and turned in his seat.

"Where are you going?"

"Lunch. I'm hoping Naruto is cooking for us and I like the way he cooks. Coming?"

Tsunade stood and began to follow after him and Jiraiya followed her with a grunt.

"The boy wasn't much of a cook when we were on our trip. I guess he cultivated it after he came back."

Gaara shrugged and nodded to those he passed in the street.

"I don't particularly care where he learned to cook. I just know he's a whole lot better than Temari or Kankurou when it comes to the culinary arts."

Tsunade chuckled and waved at a few people they passed. She elbowed Jiraiya when she saw him leering at some girls.

"I guess some things change. I miss him, you know. Konoha isn't the same without him."

"I'm sure it isn't. Things are much less quiet here now that the public knows what he can do. He's going to attempt to start farms soon, you know."

Tsunade smiled but on the inside she was calculating. Konoha was a big supplier of Suna's vegetable and fruit crops. If Naruto succeeded, then that would cut into their supply lines and profits. Jiraiya noticed how she got quiet and placed his hand on her shoulder.

"Don't think about business right now Tsunade. You're here to visit, not worry about economic growth."

She gave him a curious look and her lips quirked downward.

"How did you know what I was thinking?"

"I've been around you long enough to know what you're thinking by your body language. Don't think about things like that. Besides, it'll take quite a while before he could have fully functioning farms."

Gaara chuckled as they reached the gates of his home and he pushed them open, allowing the other two inside first.

"It wouldn't take as long as you think. Naruto has become quite proficient with 'the green'. He can adapt several acres into pastureland in one day. The only thing that stops him is that he has to search for a water source that can support farms of a good size. It's been slow going."

Tsunade nodded her head, pleased to gain a little further insight into her favorite blonde's power.

"So that's why all of Suna doesn't look like Konoha."

"No, that's because Suna took a vote and we wanted to keep our heritage. We're the Village Hidden in the Sand. My people voted to only make parts of the village green. It was Naruto's idea to run a small river through the city and then branch several creeks off the side of it."

Jiraiya perked up when he heard that. Moving water required the use of a jutsu to make it bend to your will in so little time. Men alone couldn't do it.

"So Naruto can control water as well?"

"No, his summons control water to a frightening degree. That red panda of his is very good at it as well, though not as well as the King of the Raccoons."

Gaara trailed off as a screeching voice floated through the air.

"Damn it Chouji! Give me that pot! Naruto made enough stew for everyone! Don't be such a pig!"

"Back off Ino! He'll make more! This pot is mine!"

Tsunade slapped a hand over her face and dragged it downwards while Jiraiya laughed loudly. Gaara just quirked an eyebrow and grinned.

"That's nothing. You should see Temari and Kankurou fight over desert. She tried to stab him one time with a fork when he went for the last piece of Naruto's cake."

"She's very…protective of him, isn't she?"

"Jealous, is the better word I believe."

Gaara opened the door and stepped inside to the madness.

Naruto stood at the stove and three clones of him stood chopping up vegetables and meat furiously. Temari sat beside him on the counter with one leg thrown over the other, chatting as he stirred the pot. Kankurou sat on one of the couches in the living room, fiddling with a puppet as Shino sat close by, observing the puppeteer curiously.

Hinata sat close to Kiba, patting Akamaru on the head while the dog-like young man armwrestled Lee, who was spouting that he wouldn't lose because he was the more youthful of the two.

Shikamaru was holding back an irate Ino, who was trying to throttle an extremely happy Chouji as he cradled a pot of stew like it was a newborn baby. You could almost hear him growl when someone got too close to that pot.

Neji and TenTen sat on a couch by themselves off to the side, still nursing their bumps and bruises from the earlier spar turned all out brawl. Sanzoku was sprawled out on the cushion beside her. Tsunade saw their state and went over to heal them and glean any information she could off of them.

Jiraiya saw Sakura and Kakashi off in a corner; Kakashi's nose in a book and Sakura throwing Naruto and Temari glances when she thought no one was looking. Iruka sat at the table with a pondering look on his face.

Jiraiya crossed the room and stood beside Kakashi, who cut his eyes to the older man and went back to reading.

Gaara walked calmly through the throng and sat down beside Lee, who looked at him quizzically and flexed his free arm.

"Ah, Gaara-san! Come to see my youthfulness as I defeat Kiba?"

"Hardly. You're just one of the few I can stand here."

Lee blinked a few times and slammed Kiba's hand down on the table without looking. Kiba growled and jumped to his feet.

"That isn't fair man! He beat me without even paying attention!"

He was largely ignored, except by Akamaru who barked at him.

"I am not a sore loser."

Another bark.

"Yeah, well…who asked you?"

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Tsunade knelt before TenTen and began to heal her sore bones and bruised and cut legs and arms. The girl sighed in relief and leaned heavily against Neji, who groaned at the contact. Tsunade looked up at the two and grinned.

"So…got into a fight with Naruto, huh?"

The two nodded.

"How'd he do?"

"He made me fight his summon while he went one on one against Neji."

"What about Lee?"

"Lee fell over before we even got started. Idiot shouldn't have used the gates in that race."

"Hmm. So who won?"

"Naruto."

"How?"

Neji winced when TenTen bumped one of his bruises but answered the Hokage.

"He used elemental manipulation to form a tornado around his body and ground it against my Kaiten. The opposing forces blew me away and into the creek. He shrugged it off and laughed at me."

Tsunade nodded and turned to TenTen, whose injuries were now healed.

"And you?"

"I lost to his summon. That damned rat kept pounding away at me."

**I'm not a rat; I'm a red panda.**

TenTen glared down at the red ball of fur beside her and huffed.

"Furball."

**Why is it that all the human girls I meet don't like me? Aren't you bitches supposed to like cute, cuddly things?**

TenTen's eyes gleamed as she fished a kunai from her pouch.

"I suggest you start running."

Sanzoku squeaked loudly and bolted for Naruto's bedroom, slamming the door behind him with his tail. TenTen beat on the door, cursing the whole time. Neji sighed and let the Hokage deal with his injuries.

"He beat you again huh?"

"Yes. At least this time there was no audience to see me get humiliated."

Tsunade nodded and finished up just when Naruto called that lunch was ready. She wondered how it would taste.

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Jiraiya sidled up alongside Kakashi and stared out over the group as he spoke softly.

"Are you still upset with my apprentice?"

"Mmmm."

"I expect an answer with words Kakashi."

"Mmmmm."

Jiraiya grit his teeth and reached out with his one arm and snatched Kakashi's book away. The masked ninja narrowed his eyes and held his hand out.

"Give me back my book please."

"Not until I get a satisfactory answer from you."

Kakashi sighed and leaned back against the wall.

"Yes, I still resent him for leaving."

"Why?"

"Because all my life people have left me and I expected Naruto to stay. He was a ninja of the Leaf and he willingly left for a desolate wasteland like Suna."

"It's not so desolate anymore. Naruto has seen to that."

"And without him they wouldn't have this. Now, my book please."

Jiraiya scowled and handed the book back. He pushed himself off the wall when Naruto said it was time for lunch. Looking back over his shoulder, he leveled disappointed eyes at the Copy Ninja and his final remaining student.

"I'm disappointed in both of you."

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Naruto beamed as everyone settled in with a bowl of stew (Chouji with his half-eaten pot) and waited for their reaction. Temari saw the anxiety in his eyes and giggled. You'd have thought it was a life or death situation. Everyone took a taste test at the same time…and immediately began to destroy the contents of their bowl. Kakashi was the first to finish as usual and had to admit that it was delicious. Jiraiya's earlier words echoed in his mind. He put on his eye smile and turned to his former student. The least he could do was be polite.

"That was very good, Naruto."

The blonde beamed at the praise and thanked each of his former comrades in turn as they expressed their thoughts on it. He was just about to begin washing the dishes when the girls grabbed him. Hinata smiled and pushed him toward the table.

"We'll do that. You sit. Shikamaru wants a game with you."

Naruto looked across the table to where Shikamaru sat before a shougi board, looking hungrily at his opponent. He smiled and sat down in front of the Nara.

"Well, let's get this over with then. Chouji already got his wish and Ino never came up with anything other than a date, so let's play."

Everyone gathered round as the two began their game, never noticing the three clones sneaking upstairs. One clone whispered to the others once they were safely in Naruto's bedroom.

"Ok, the boss said to read some books on shougi and dispel when we'd read a good bit on strategy."

The other two nodded and sat down with their respective books.

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Shikamaru was sweating bullets. He hadn't had a challenge like this since Asuma and he was enjoying himself, despite wracking his brain constantly. Whenever he'd think up a strategy for how Naruto was playing at the moment, the blonde would change his game up. It was maddening.

Naruto smirked as he went through the paces. Shikamaru was in a corner and in just three turns, he'd have him. One turn. Two turns. Three.

"Checkmate."

Shikamaru sighed and looked at Naruto with a newfound respect.

"That…was troublesome…but it was fun. Let's do it again someday."

Naruto nodded and looked at the clock. It was nearly ten at night. They'd been playing for over nine hours. He glanced over to where Neji and TenTen were leaned against each othe snoring lightly, exhausted from the day's activities.

"Guess it's time to sleep. You guys can go back to your hotel and take the lovebirds with you. I'll meet Team Eight at the property tomorrow at dawn. Don't be too late."

The Konoha ninjas stood and said their goodbyes while Lee picked up Neji and Sakura hefted TenTen. Team Eight promised to be at the property right after dawn and bid Naruto goodnight. The blonde left some clones to clean up the kitchen and went to shower after saying goodnight to Gaara and Kankurou.

Naruto crawled into bed and laid there for awhile staring at the ceiling when his door opened up and he saw a familiar silhouette walk to the end of his bed and crawl on. Sanzoku looked up over his tail and sighed.

**All right, I'm going, I'm going.**

Naruto chuckled as his summon left the room and he lifted the covers for Temari to crawl under. She snuggled up to his side and rubbed her leg up and down his, trying to warm herself up. Naruto shivered at the contact. She was clad only in panties and a t-shirt, her favorite nightwear.

"If your brothers find out you're sleeping with me at night like this, they'll skin me alive, you know that right?"

Temari just nuzzled her nose further into his neck.

"Ah, they'll be fine. I'm a big girl and you know where your boundaries lie."

Naruto nodded and wrapped his arm around her waist, pulling her closer to his chest.

"I think…I'll start on my house after everyone leaves. I'll need help with the décor you know."

Temari smiled as she drifted off to sleep, the rise and fall of Naruto's chest helping lure her to dreamland. Helping design the house huh? Sounded like plans for the future to her…

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"So they're all in Suna huh?"

"Yes, all of the ones you know have gathered there for some reason. Perhaps to visit him."

The dark haired man nodded and gestured for the woman to leave and she did so reluctantly. He put his chin to his hand in a thinking pose and narrowed his eyes.

"Perhaps it is time I visited the one who considers me a brother. A reunion would be nice…to finish that which is left undecided."

The dark haired man chuckled. Perhaps it was time to go to Suna on a whim…

**Dun Dun Dun...Let me know what you think...**


	14. Clouds on the horizon

And here's Chapter 14. Not much to talk about. I'm over a thousand reviews and alerts now for this story. Hurray for me. Hope you guys enjoy this chapter. Readers, Reviewers, thank you...**Act Naturally**_ by Buck Owens._

**CHAPTER FOURTEEN**

Naruto yawned as he sat under his favorite tree, waiting for Team Eight to arrive. Gaara had informed Temari in the middle of the night that she was needed to run a quick errand to a neighboring town a day away and she had left bedgrudgingly. Hey, Naruto was a warm body in the cold desert night…and desert nights were notoriously frigid. That was the only reason she'd been in bed with him…

He missed her company already. Temari had proven to be everything he could want in a woman. Sure, she was a bit on the affectionate side. She loved to be held and touched, but Temari, like him, never received it much when she was younger. Hell, once her mother died, she never received any physical contact outside of a pat on the head from Baki. Naruto didn't mind showering her with affection since he loved it as well.

But she wasn't just a fragile flower. She'd proven that many times over in their sparring sessions since he'd started living there. In battle, Temari was ruthless and would use whatever advantage she could to get the upper hand on her stronger opponent. Her analytical mind and knack for strategy could almost trump his on-the-spot plans and natural good luck.

It didn't work all the time though.

Naruto leaned back against the tree, nearly suffocating Sanzoku, who had taken up refuge from the cool morning air behind his back. The red panda finally wiggled his way from behind him and curled up around his neck, a much safer venue. Naruto scratched Sanzoku behind the ears and lost himself in thought again.

He had come far in his training with his father's jutsus. With Temari's help, he had torn into the wind jutsus with gusto, learning them quickly with the help of his Kage Bunshins. The tornado was the culmination of several months of study and trial and error. When he'd finally been able to do it without blowing himself up, he had wrapped her up in a hug and gave her a very passionate kiss. Temari had looked at him like he was crazy, her fingers on her lips, for several moments. Naruto was afraid he'd overstepped his boundaries…until she had bowled him over returning the kiss.

He'd been surprised that she had been jealous of his dating around. Temari had given no indication of jealousy on the outside but now that he thought about it, the signs had been there. Whenever they'd sparred in the past and she'd asked how his date had went, he remembered she was more aggressive the better his date had gone. She'd nearly killed him when he told her one time that he'd given a girl a goodnight kiss.

He sighed and crossed his arms as he looked up at the star-pocked sky. It had certainly been an adventure living in Suna. He'd just come here because he knew a few of the people and had ended up becoming a very popular schoolteacher and very desirable to the women of the village. Too bad for them he only wanted a certain spiky ponytailed blonde.

Sanzoku snorted, letting him know that Team Eight was close. Naruto stood and cracked his back, before walking to the stream and washing his face to wake himself up further. He smiled when he heard Akamaru approaching at high speed and stood to say hello only to be tackled by the enormous canine, right into the creek.

"Akamaru! Get off of him! What in the hell are you thinking?"

A few woofs was Kiba's answer as he hauled the dog off of Naruto, who was helped back to his feet by Hinata and Shino.

"No, I don't think he appreciated a bath this early in the morning."

A few more barks made Kiba raise an eyebrow and the others look on in confusion.

"What do you mean he smells like Temari all over?"

Naruto saw the need to stop any further speculation about what might have gone on last night (not that anything did happen).

"Soooo…what do you guys want to do? Wanna spar?"

Kiba threw his hands up in front of his chest in surrender.

"Spar? Hell no! Not after what you did to Neji and TenTen. I'd rather you show us around and maybe show us a few jutsus."

Hinata nodded from where she had sat down with Sanzoku in her lap, the red panda enjoying her gentle caress on his back. Akamaru growled at the smaller creature until Sanzoku cut his eyes to the dog and growled back.

**Don't think I won't squish you mutt. I've finally found a girl who doesn't want to kill me, so go away.**

Akamaru yipped and growled in response.

**I don't care if it's your spot. She'll be leaving soon and then you can have her back. Learn to share.**

Another growl. Sanzoku let one eye open and bared his teeth.

**I'm comfortable mutt. Don't insult me just because you think you can take me. I'll show you why the raccoon tribe is feared.**

"Akamaru, leave him alone. Hinata pets you all the time."

The dog snorted and flopped down next to Hinata, throwing Sanzoku baleful glares whenever the red panda purred in contentment when Hinata scratched a good spot. Shino took the moment to catch Naruto's attention.

"I'll assume from your match against Neji and TenTen that you've grown much stronger, so there's no need for us to fight against you. I'd rather learn a few things anyway…and leave a few bugs here to see how they'll take to the environment if you'd let me."

Naruto smiled and waved his hand in an encompassing motion toward the small forest behind them.

"I kind of figured that you guys would want to just explore and relax today. After all, you three are most comfortable in the forest aren't you?"

Kiba and Akamaru bounded off into the forest, their laughs and barks echoing all over the place as they flipped and twisted through the greenery. Shino wandered in shaking his head at their tomfoolery and began to search for the various insects that might inhabit the place. Naruto watched them go and noticed that someone was missing. He turned around to find Hinata still petting Sanzoku.

"Aren't you going to go and have a bit of fun?"

She shook her head and smiled up at him.

"No. The boys are the ones that enjoy tearing through the forest. I'd much rather you sit down and talk with me. I have a few questions and I'm sure you do too."

Naruto flopped himself down in front of Hinata and crossed his legs, never breaking eye contact with her. He found being alone with her kind of awkward, now that he was with Temari. Her small, serene smile wasn't doing him any favors either.

"So, Hinata, how has life been treating you?"

She rubbed the fur on Sanzoku's back for a little bit before answering.

"I've been doing well. Outside of missions I've been helping Kurenai-sensei with her son. He's quite the handful. Other than that, Father has been showing me how I will assume his duties once he is ready to hand over his status as clan head."

"So you've finally convinced your father that you're the right choice?"

Hinata shook her head and looked back toward the ground.

"Not completely. The only reason I'm still a viable candidate is that I have a cooler head in tight situations than Hanabi does. She tends to rush in, thinking her Hyuuga blood will carry weight with everyone."

Naruto smirked and leaned back on his hands.

"Not exactly a smart way to go. In physical battles it always worked for me, but politically…nah, that's not very smart."

Hinata smiled and her eyes drooped slightly.

"You've grown a lot Naruto-kun. I only wish I could have helped you."

He gave her a soulful look and sat back up.

"Hinata…you helped me more than you think you did. Remember way back to the first chuunin exams we took? You were the only one who thought I could beat Neji. Hell, not even my teacher thought I could do it. You helped a lot Hinata."

She shook her head hard from side to side and stared at him again with her violet eyes.

"But Naruto…I could have done more when you were younger. I could have been your friend sooner. Instead…I hid in the shadows like a coward…I was afraid you would reject me…"

Naruto sighed and turned his gaze away from her.

"Hinata…we were both fools. I was stupid too. I only looked at Sakura back then. I never even saw you until it was too late. Tell me Hinata, what did you think of me back then?"

"I thought…I thought you were strong and had much potential. You were funny, and strong, and…I even thought you were wise. Not smart in the book sense, but wise, in that you could understand others. You were bold and brash, raised your voice to the heavens, and told others your dreams. I…I wished I could do that. I wanted that."

"And you could have had it Hinata. If you'd just been bold enough to grab it."

The two sitting down looked up to see Shino standing to the side. They'd never heard him approach. He sat down, creating a triangle between the three, and turned to Hinata.

"The truth, Hinata, is that none of us ever tried to befriend Naruto. All of us are at fault. But, in the same sense, Naruto never gave you the time of day either. He was rather dense and still is in a sense. Maturity just makes him more observant over time. Like before he left the village, I believe he finally saw how beautiful you've become."

Hinata blushed at the praise and Naruto scowled as he rubbed the back of his head sheepishly.

"For your information, Shino, I saw how beautiful she was when I came back from my trip. It's kind of hard to miss."

Hinata's face just got redder as the praise was heaped on.

"Hell yeah she's beautiful. Who could resist that body or that cute personality of hers?"

Kiba had finally decided to join the conversation and flopped down opposite Shino, panting for breath. Hinata was now trying to recede into her coat, her face impossibly red. Naruto saw this and furrowed his eyebrows. There was no need for her shyness among friends. He stood and crossed to sit beside her. Once he was sitting he threw an arm over her shoulder. Hinata gasped and looked out of her coat to see who was touching her.

"Now Hinata, I know you're not going to faint on us. We can't hold a conversation with you if you faint."

She nodded her head dumbly and cut her eyes to where his arm rested.

"Now Hinata, I want you to tell us why you turn red when someone compliments you. You know what they say is true, don't you?"

She shook her head quickly, her hair flinging from side to side, whipping Naruto in the face. He chuckled and looked to Kiba, who had a big grin, and Shino, who looked like he was about to bust a gut (for an Aburame at least). This had been a long time coming…and Hinata needed this as much as Naruto did.

"Why don't you believe the things you say?"

"Because…"

"Because what? Hinata, you _are_ beautiful, you _are_ strong, and you _are_ fit to lead your clan. Let me tell you something. That pedestal you put me on all those years ago? I'm still not fit to be on it."

She turned her eyes to him and was about to deny what he said but he held his hand up, stopping her.

"Hinata, I'm not perfect. I'm not your ideal guy. You saw me as you wanted to see me, just as I saw you as I wanted to see you. We're older now and we need to let go of our illusions. Hinata, you're beautiful…but you still lack confidence…and so do I."

"That's not true. You have plenty of confidence."

"Kiba, Shino, could you leave please? And don't leave any of your bugs…"

Shino nodded and dragged a complaining Kiba off by the collar of his shirt. Naruto turned Hinata to face him and looked into her eyes.

"Listen to me. I'm not perfect. I'm a coward Hinata. I took the path of least resistance when I left the village. I always talked about being Hokage but I gave up that dream…and to me, that makes me a coward. That's why I embraced my teaching role. I don't want those kids to make the same mistakes I did."

She blinked several times and started to speak.

"But Naruto…"

He grit his teeth and put his finger to her lips. She had to let him go on.

"No Hinata. Let me finish. It took me a year to realize that Temari was what I wanted. It's taken me a year to get as far as I have with the green. It took a year for the raccoons to decide that they wanted me as a summoner. I work hard Hinata, but I'm no genius. I'm not special like you think I am. But it's not the present I'm ashamed of, Hinata. It's the past."

He took a deep breath and closed his eyes slowly, opening them again to reveal his deep blues.

"I tried again and again to bring back a person who didn't want to be saved, all for my own selfishness and to keep a promise to Sakura that I should have never made. I ignored you. I didn't keep my promise to Neji. I left the village. I'm ashamed of myself Hinata. I haven't even spoken to Temari about this, but I feel I can with you. You'd understand because you're ashamed of yourself as well."

He hung his head, waiting for her to retort, slap him, anything. He just wanted a response. Hinata sat for several minutes before she finally thought of what to say.

"You're right Naruto. I am ashamed of myself. I've let myself be walked on for too long and it's become more habit than anything. The only time I've ever mustered any courage was when you were watching. It was borrowed courage. I was only able to raise my voice in your presence as well. I've been timid in the face of adversity. I've run from challenges. You're right Naruto, I'm ashamed as well."

Naruto gave her a quick squeeze and stood up, offering her his hand.

"We've both fucked up in the past Hinata. The best we can do now, is acknowledge where we messed up and go forward. We can be ashamed together and absolve each other of our shame, as friends."

Hinata gave him a small smile and took his hand, as Sanzoku moved to her shoulder so he could occupy his favorite kunoichi ever. She embraced Naruto and stood back.

"Thanks for the talk sensei. I can see why those kids like you so much now."

Naruto rubbed the back of his head and turned to where Kiba and Shino had been standing, watching them. He waved them over and turned back to Hinata.

"I'm sorry I wasn't what you wanted Hinata, but there is so much more in front of you. You're beautiful and kind-hearted enough to have any guy you want, and you're strong enough to not have to take any crap off of them."

She grinned and decided to have a little fun with him.

"Why is it then, sensei, that Temari-san can have her way with you?"

Naruto grinned and rubbed the back of his head.

"Well, she's my girlfriend. And besides, Temari was always the bossy one. She doesn't get her way nearly as often as you think she does anyway. More often than not, I put my foot down and tell her what we're going to do. Secretly, she loves that. I just let her have her way in public."

She gave him a strange look and put her hands behind her back.

"You two are weird, you know that?"

"Now that's not nice Hinata. Shino and I are just different."

Naruto laughed as Kiba gave her a disgruntled look and turned to Shino.

"What do you say to lunch guys? My treat?"

Their response was a resounding 'Yes'.

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The rest of his visit with Team Eight was typical guy talk. What you been up to, seen any girls, how's it hanging, learned any new jutsus? Just typical guy talk. Well, as typical as it could get between Kiba's bragging and Shino's monosyllabic answers. Naruto left Team Eight that evening with a sense of nostalgia. He was always a bit closer to them than he was to the others.

With Kiba it was a series of braggadocio, a rambling of questions that was like it was read off a cue card, but it was like a ritual of theirs.

How's it hanging man? _Slightly to the left and bumps the ground when I walk._

Seen any new chicks? _Oh man, hell yes. There was this one the other day, swear to god man, her tits were falling out of her top…_

Still haven't convinced Hinata to hook up with you, have you? _One day, you smug motherfucker, one day…asshole…_

Learn any new jutsus? _Eh, a couple. Mostly just been refining my family's jutsus…_

Yup, always the same with Kiba. Not that Shino was any better.

So…how you been? _Fine._

Um…seeing anybody. _Currently, no._

Ok…learned any new jutsus? _Not in the past few weeks._

Ah…found any new bugs? _Why, yes, I have. Let me tell you about them…_

Naruto had let his friend ramble on for what seemed like hours, while Hinata and Kiba chatted to themselves. He let Team Eight return to their hotel late in the evening, happy that he'd gotten to talk to them. He'd gotten a few requests from Hinata for flowers to press and had made them on the spot. The girl had squealed with delight and latched onto his neck. All in all, it was a successful reunion with Team Eight.

All that was left was Iruka, Tsunade and Jiraiya, and Kakashi and Sakura. The last two he was dreading most of all. He opened the door to the compound and walked through the living room, where a few of Kankurou's puppets were strewn about, to the kitchen. He was surprised the light was on and found Iruka making tea on the stove.

"Finally back huh? It's about time Naruto."

"Iruka-sensei? What are you doing here so late?"

"I wanted to talk to you tonight instead of tomorrow. Tsunade and Jiraiya want you then and I didn't want to wait."

Naruto sat down at the table and accepted the cup of tea Iruka handed him.

"Ok sensei. I'm all ears."

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Iruka sighed as he sat down opposite his favorite student. He couldn't believe how the boy had grown. Now, he had his own class and students that looked up to him. It was funny how things came full circle in the most unexpected ways.

"I met your students you know. They're a great bunch of kids Naruto. You've done well. They're so young and yet, I bet they could take on a graduating class from Konoha."

Naruto took a sip of tea and smiled at his old sensei. He never thought he'd be talking to the man as an equal, as a schoolteacher. Life was funny that way.

"Thanks sensei. That means a lot. I don't know how you've put up with it all these years. I was ready to kill them after the first day."

Iruka laughed and slapped the table, nearly upsetting their teacups.

"That's rich. I can remember wanting to kill _you_ on a daily basis. You were such a brat."

"Was I really that bad sensei?"

Iruka smirked and leaned back in his chair, throwing one leg over the other, and sipped his tea.

"No, you were worse. You were a holy terror Naruto. I can't imagine a more terrible student…or a better one."

They both laughed for a while before sighing simultaneously and losing themselves in their tea. A long, uncomfortable silence ensued, neither knowing what to say. As usual, Iruka broke the silence.

"Naruto…let me see your hitai-ate."

The blonde looked at him quizzically, but untied the headband from his arm and handed the band over. Iruka took his Leaf headband off and put the Sand band on.

"So…how's it look?"

Naruto shook his head and chuckled.

"It doesn't suit you sensei. You're a Leaf shinobi through and through."

Iruka nodded and took the band off, handing it back to Naruto as he retied his own on his forehead.

"To me, the Suna hitai-ate doesn't suit you either Naruto. I wish you hadn't left the Leaf. Things were going to get better with the realization of who you were."

Naruto narrowed his eyes, becoming somewhat angry with those words.

"And if I wasn't 'the son of a hero' Iruka-sensei, then would they have ever accepted me? No, they wouldn't have. Just because of who my father was, they would have kissed my ass and sucked up to me. I'd rather move here and be just another chuunin than live in Konoha and be resentfully respected. I'd rather be here."

Iruka nodded and sighed. This wasn't what he came here for.

"Forgive me Naruto. We all know why you left. I shouldn't have brought it up. I want to know how you've been in your time away."

Naruto leaned back in his chair and put his hands behind his head.

"I've been allright. The kids are well mannered and mind me most of the time. I don't know any of their names."

"You don't know any of their names?"

"Not a one. That's one reason I think they do so well. They think if I see how well they're doing, I'll want to learn their name. But I'm only here to show them the way of the ninja, not become bosom buddies with them."

Iruka nodded and put his chin in his hand.

"I see. That's…not the way I've taught at all. It makes sense in a non-sensical way, I suppose. Now…about this girlfriend of yours…"

Naruto spit out the tea he had been drinking and wiped his mouth on his sleeve.

"Iruka-sensei! What the hell kind of question is that?"

"The kind I want to know. I've watched you grow Naruto and I want to know what's going on in your life. Now, tell me about Temari."

Naruto smiled and leaned forward, his arms resting on the table.

"What's not to like about her? She's smart, funny, loving, caring, but…she also has a serious side and won't hesitate to put me in my place. Even when we have a fight, it's not so bad that we try to intentionally hurt each other's feelings. She's everything I could have wanted."

Iruka noticed the far-off look in the blonde's eyes and smirked. Time to spring the trap.

"Really? So…how's the sex?"

"The sex? Oh, its…"

Naruto's brain finally caught up to what was being asked and his face turned red as he took in Iruka's smug face. The older man had been waiting for this for a long time.

"Iruka…you…I…no sex…Temari…kill…"

"Naruto…you're stuttering. Try to talk in complete sentences please."

Naruto took several deep breaths and leveled a glare at the older man that made him flinch.

"For your information sensei, Temari and I haven't taken that step yet, and we won't take it until she and I are both ready."

Iruka put up his hands in surrender.

"Ok, ok, just teasing you Naruto. No reason to be all defensive. I was just joking."

"That wasn't funny sensei."

"I'm sorry ok? It was a joke. I'll drop it. Now, what about getting your own place? Or do you plan to live here for the rest of your life?"

Naruto beamed and stood up from the table.

"Actually, I've been studying a bit of carpentry and mason work in my spare time, as well as electrical and plumbing. Kage Bunshin are such a wonderful thing. I wanted to try my hand at building my own house. Let me show you the plans."

The two spent the rest of the evening going over his plans for the future, plans that included a certain four-pony tailed blonde.

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Naruto awoke the next morning to someone tapping on his forehead and swiped at the hand.

"G'way Temari. 'M sleepy."

"Hmph. I happen to think I'm a bit more important than your little girlfriend at the moment. You'd better get up brat."

Naruto rolled over and continued snoring. Tsunade frowned and put her hands on her hips.

"Good for nothing brat. I come here to meet him instead of going to his property and he won't even get up."

Jiraiya grinned and pushed her aside with his good arm.

"Let a pro handle this Tsunade. I know how to get the boy up."

He grinned and whipped the covers back, before summoning a bulldog-sized toad and pointing to Naruto's head.

"Sit."

The toad grinned and hopped onto the bed, right on top of Naruto's head. The boy struggled for a bit before tossing the toad aside, where it dispelled itself, and gasped for air.

"ALLRIGHT, ALLRIGHT GODDAMNIT! I'M UP! STUPID ERO-SENNIN!"

"Haha, brings back good memories don't it boy?"

Naruto blinked and looked around. This wasn't the wilderness. There was no campfire and Jiraiya only had one arm. He wasn't on his training trip. He grinned and launched himself out of the bed.

"Sure does ya pervert. Sure does."

Naruto wrapped the giant of a man in a hug and did the same to Tsunade before striding to his closet.

"Now then, what do you two want to talk about?"

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Temari sighed as she handed over the document she was supposed to deliver. This was a waste of a mission, totally wasted on her talents. Gaara could have sent anyone to do this, but noooo, he wants to keep her and Naruto separated, as if they were going to do anything.

She huffed as she left out of the merchant's office and went to find a dango stand before she headed back home. She already missed Naruto's cooking. Strange, how years before the boy had bugged her just by opening his mouth and now she couldn't imagine life without him around. Things were funny like that.

She opened the flap to the dango shop and froze. Sitting at the bar, were several very familiar cloaked figures. At least, the cloaks were familiar. Without a second thought, Temari backed out of the shop and bolted down the street. She had to make it back to Suna.

Pronto.

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A large man walked up to where a smaller man was sitting by a fire and flopped down unceremoniously.

"So…how long til we arrive?"

The smaller man cut his black eyes over and blinked slowly.

"What's the matter? Hard to keep the urge down?"

"It's getting harder the closer we get to civilization. I hope I can last until we meet this…Naruto."

The smaller man grabbed the other by the throat, making fear appear in his eyes.

"He's mine. Don't forget your place."

He thrust the larger man backwards and returned to staring at the fire while the others looked on.

'Soon, brother, soon. I'll have my eyes…and you'll have nothing.'

No animals made a sound as that sinister chuckled emanated throughout the forest.

**Let me know what you think. Everything will come to a head soon. I just hope my muse takes me in the right direction.**


	15. Working out their differences

And here's Chapter 15. I hope you guys like this one. It can get a little angsty but I tried to work things out in the end. Readers, Reviewers, thank you...**Black Betty**_ by Spiderbait._

**CHAPTER FIFTEEN**

Naruto ushered the two older folks out of his room so that he could get dressed and yawned once they'd left. Getting sat on by that toad was a definite blast to the past and although it had been annoying, it did bring back memories of his road trip with Jiraiya. He shrugged his clothing on and left his bedroom, Sanzoku draped around his neck.

"You know, you have got to be the laziest summon I've ever met. You didn't even warn me that those two were in my bedroom."

**The one you call Baa-chan threatened to neuter me if I told you, so bite me. Besides, watching you get sat on was entertaining.**

"I'll remember that."

**You do that. Lay out something for me to eat when you're in the kitchen ok?**

"Lazy ass."

Sanzoku snorted and went back to sleep. Naruto rolled his eyes and continued on down the stairs. If it weren't for the fact that the red panda was a fearsome warrior (as TenTen could attest to) and was useful in a pinch, he'd have sent his ass back to the summons realm so fast…

He rounded the corner of the hallway and stretched again once he was in the kitchen. Tsunade and Jiraiya sat at the table, sipping coffee and chatting with each other. Tsunade smiled when she saw her favorite blonde come in.

"Good morning Naruto. Hope you don't mind us making some coffee."

"Nah, I don't mind. It's Temari's coffee anyway. I don't usually drink the stuff. I prefer tea. Want something to eat?"

Jiraiya swallowed the last of his cup and poured some more.

"What do you have?"

Naruto flipped through the cupboards and fridge.

"Well, we got fruit, bread, bacon, eggs, you know, breakfast stuff."

"Bacon and eggs sounds delicious. And heat up that bread with some honey."

Tsunade stood up and walked around the counter before spinning Naruto around and holding him by the shoulders.

"Before you start cooking though…"

She wrapped him in an enormous hug, nearly crushing his spine.

"…it's so good to see you again brat. I've missed you."

Naruto smiled and hugged her back, squeezing slightly to show her that his strength had improved as well.

"I've missed you too Baa-chan. It hasn't been the same without you."

Jiraiya coughed into his hand and the two blondes looked over at him.

"What about me? I don't get a hug or at least a handshake?"

Naruto narrowed his eyes and released Tsunade.

"You tried to crush my head with one of your toads this morning. You're lucky I don't castrate you. Be glad I'm making you breakfast."

"Ungrateful brat."

Naruto smiled and pulled out a pan from under the counter to fry the bacon and eggs.

"There's the Ero-Sennin I remember. Now, what did you two want to talk about?"

Tsunade reached out to where Sanzoku was chomping away happily on some fruit and tried to pet him when he growled at her.

**Don't touch me. You threatened to take away my nuts earlier. **

Tsunade frowned and turned back to Naruto.

"Well, we want to hear what you've been up to and to discuss some things about Konoha with you. But that's business. Let's hear about your life up till now."

Naruto nodded as he cracked the eggs on the side of the pan and listened to them sizzle in the heat.

"Well, when I first arrived here…"

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Tsunade and Jiraiya smiled as they listened to Naruto's story. It made them both happy he had found some form of acceptance among the people of Sunagakure. That's what made the next thing they had to discuss so…uncomfortable. Tsunade shifted in her seat and held out her cup for more tea. They'd been sitting at the table for a couple of hours now and she was beginning to feel a little numb in her buttocks.

"Can we move this to somewhere a bit more comfortable? My butt is falling asleep."

Naruto and Jiraiya laughed at her and Tsunade growled. It wasn't her fault the wooden chairs were so unforgiving. The three stood and Naruto lead the way to the living room, clearing some of Kankurou's puppets out of the way. Once they were settled in, Naruto looked from one to the other.

"So…what's this all about?"

Tsunade took a deep breath and looked at Jiraiya, who motioned for her to go ahead. He was only here to offer support. This was village business and not his ground to cover. She closed her eyes and slowly opened them, locking his bright blue eyes with her chocolate brown.

"We've already talked to Gaara about what we'll discuss here and he said no. I agree with him reluctantly, but unfortunately, the issue just will not go away because we said so."

Naruto frowned and leaned back in his chair as Sanzoku padded in and leapt up beside him on the couch, curling up.

"Why does it feel like I'm only getting half a story here? What are you talking about?"

"The Konoha Council wants you back Naruto. They don't want the last Namikaze, the son of the Yondaime, living in another village, allied or not. They want you to return with us."

Naruto set his face in a grimace.

"The answer is no of course. I'm not going back to a village that never wanted me until I could be used for political purposes. It's not happening."

Tsunade nodded and took a sip of tea. It wasn't as calming as sake, but Naruto made some damn good tea.

"That's what I told them, but they keep pressing the issue. I'm going to need you to come back to Konoha to settle this yourself."

"And what guarantee do I have that I won't be imprisoned and kept against my will?"

Jiraiya leaned forward and rested his one arm on his legs.

"Because that would be tantamount to declaring war with Suna. They'd be holding a very important friend of the Kazekage hostage and a very important person to _us_ hostage. The political fallout would not be pretty."

Naruto nodded and Tsunade decided to continue.

"You won't be held against your will. We just need you to come with us and talk to the council, tell them that you don't wish to return to Konoha and that you are happy here."

The blonde schoolteacher folded his arms and sighed.

"I thought I made that all clear over a year ago when I burned my father's and mother's scrolls. I thought it was clear when I requested transfer to Suna. I _thought_ I made it clear when I told them all this to their faces."

The two older ninjas nodded.

"You did Naruto, but they aren't politicians for nothing. Everyone in Konoha knows who you are now and everyone wants you back. They want Uzumaki Naruto to come back home and take up the name of Namikaze."

Naruto's frown deepened significantly.

"No, they want the son of Namikaze Minato to come back so they can suck up to him. Uzumaki Naruto isn't on their radar. They aren't sorry for treating me like shit. They just want to kiss my ass for political favors."

Jiraiya straightened up a bit, his sensei side coming back out.

"Look here Naruto. You may be a Suna shinobi now, but Tsunade is only asking you to come and settle this once and for all. You owe her at least that much."

Naruto's eyes narrowed even more, his obstinate side coming back out.

"And why exactly do I owe her?"

Jiraiya's face twisted up in outrage.

"Because she's the one who's been keeping the council off your back for the past year you little shit!"

"Jiraiya, calm down! Naruto…I'm hurt that you're acting like this. I hope you set a better example than this for your students."

"Don't bring my students into this. As for my attitude, how do you expect me to react? 'Oh sure. I'll happily go back to Konoha with you and receive the stares of awe, forced respect, disgust, and hatred.' I don't think so."

Tsunade straightened her backbone and glared at him. They'd been having such a wonderful time earlier and now, here was the council of Konoha coming between them once again.

"We've already cleared this with Gaara, Naruto. You're coming with us to settle this and that's final."

He looked aghast that they would do something like this without his knowledge. Even Gaara was doing things behind his back. Naruto quickly schooled his face back into an indifferent look, something that looked out of place on him.

"Fine, since everyone seems to think this will be in my best interests, despite my say so, I'll go as soon as Temari gets back. I want to get this over with so I never have to step foot in Konoha again."

He rose to stand and was about to leave when his arm was caught by Tsunade. He turned to say something but stopped when he saw the tears welling up in her eyes.

"Please Naruto, don't act like this. We don't want this any more than you do, but it's necessary. Don't be angry with us just because we're doing our jobs."

He swung his head from one to the other, looking for any sign of deception and found none. They were just doing what they had to. Naruto sighed and let his body relax, but Tsunade didn't let go of his arm.

"Naruto, we care about you. We don't want you unhappy. That's why I let you leave. I wanted you to stay, but your happiness means a lot to me since you haven't had much of it. Jiraiya didn't want you to go. He lost someone else important to him that day. You haven't visited either."

Naruto hung his head slightly and turned away.

"Gaara's kept me busy."

Jiraiya snorted and clapped him on the shoulder.

"You're full of shit. You were afraid to come back home because you thought you would stay there. You can't lie to me brat."

Naruto gave them a small, sad smile.

"Yeah, I was afraid to go back. I didn't want to go back to Konoha and think it was home. I have a new life here and I don't want to ruin that."

Tsunade and Jiraiya nodded and Naruto walked toward the door, opened it, and turned to them.

"I'm going to go do the most difficult thing of this whole visit. I'm going to talk to Kakashi and Sakura and try to resolve the whole thing with them. This might take a while, so can you tell me where they are?"

Tsunade winced when he mentioned Sakura and Kakashi. Those two were especially resentful of Naruto's decision and hadn't wanted to come. Tsunade had strongarmed the two because she knew it needed to come to a conclusion, one way or the other.

"Do what you have to do Naruto. They're at the hotel and haven't left except to eat. I just hope you know what you're doing."

Naruto smiled at the two as he got walked out the door.

"Me too."

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Kakashi and Sakura had been in their hotel room since they'd last seen Naruto, not really wanting to go out. When they weren't chatting together, Kakashi was reading his book and Sakura was keeping herself occupied by reading a book as well or by flipping through the channels on the TV. Both were bored out of their minds.

Sakura heard a knock at the door and moved to answer. She looked over to Kakashi, who shrugged since they weren't expecting any visitors.

"Maybe they're all ready to go home and have come to tell us we're leaving tomorrow."

Kakashi shrugged and went back to reading his book as he heard the door creak open…and dropped it just as suddenly when he heard Sakura's icy voice.

"Naruto."

Kakashi was immediately on his feet and quickly crossed the room to the door. The person standing before him was an immediate reminder of the sensei he'd lost…and the student he had lost as well. Naruto looked just like his father, right down to the look in his eyes. It was the look Minato had every time he had to say something he didn't really want to.

"May I come in?"

Sakura stormed away from the door, but Kakashi stayed, the small smile under his mask evident.

"Of course Naruto. What are you doing here?"

Naruto listened to the door close behind him and closed his eyes, breathing in slowly. Once the latch clicked, he knew there was no going back.

"I'd like the two of you to accompany me to my property so we can talk…and work out any frustrations that we might have. Afterward, if we're all still talking to one another, I'd like you to come back to the compound and I'll make lunch."

Naruto had a strained smile on his face as he spoke. He noticed Kakashi's introspective look and Sakura's look of disdain. He half-wished they'd accept and half-wished they would decline. Kakashi's voice broke the silence.

"We'll go with you Naruto. We'll be there shortly."

Naruto nodded and walked out the door, closing it behind him and ran for the property. His heart was pounding more than when he'd spoken to Temari the first time on their first real date and he settled under his favorite shade tree to meditate until they arrived. He would need his nerves to be calm since he knew that Sakura had a volatile temper, much like his girlfriend.

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Sakura turned to Kakashi once she was sure that Naruto was gone, her face twisted in anger.

"What the hell Kakashi? I don't want to talk to him!"

Kakashi turned slowly, his one visible eye showing his trademark boredom.

"Sakura, we've both been stewing over this for over a year now. It's time to try to mend the fences or at least talk and leave on amicable terms. Jiraiya talked to me the other day and said we need to leave the past behind. I'm willing to do that. It isn't healthy to hold a grudge like this. Now get ready to go."

She snorted loudly and stomped around the room, grabbing her kunai pouch and pulling her shoes on, growling the whole time. Kakashi sighed and pulled his sandals on, before slipping his book into his gear pouch and opened the door, ushering her out. He could only hope this would go well for all three of them.

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Naruto had slowed his breathing to acceptable levels. His meditation had calmed him much and it was a good thing since what was to come would probably be very, very stressful. He had sent Sanzoku off to do something else, away from what might be a very emotional and very physical battleground. If Sakura used to pound him into the dirt for annoying her, he didn't want to think about what she might attempt for truly upsetting her.

Not that he would let her hit him. That was Temari's sole privilege.

With his eyes closed, his other senses were incredibly acute and he heard the sound of the ground crunching under sandals before they were even in sight. His eyes opened slowly and he smiled slightly at the sight of Kakashi and Sakura approaching.

Kakashi gave him his traditional lazy wave while Sakura just stared at him, barely containing her ire. Naruto stood and brushed his pants off.

"Look, I know neither of you are happy with my decision so I'm going to give you the opportunity to get all your frustrations out in any way you deem appropriate. Sakura, we can start with you."

Her response was to slap him as hard as she could on the cheek. Naruto simply stood there, his head turned to the side, his eyes never leaving her. The tears began to well up in her eyes as she glared at him.

"Start with me? Start with me! How dare you! You left us and now you act like it doesn't matter, like it never happened! You think you can just talk to us and everything will be ok? It won't! I hate you Naruto!"

He slowly turned his head back towards her, the bruise on his face already healing.

"You don't mean that Sakura. I know you don't."

She snarled and thrust her fist forward, catching him in the gut. Naruto grunted and sank to his knees. He didn't like being a punching bag, but he'd let her have a few shots before he retaliated. He wasn't the Naruto she used to know, and she'd have to realize that.

"I do mean it! You left me, just like Sasuke did. You left me all alone. You didn't once think about my feelings, you selfish bastard! You didn't think about how I'd feel!"

Naruto could feel his ire growing with every word. He'd planned to let her work out her frustrations but that plan was quickly falling apart. Plus, he was beginning to get irritated with her increasingly painful blows. Sakura would rain down a blow on him after every sentence.

"You never stopped to think about me. You never thought how it would affect Kakashi and me. You never visited, never wrote, never let us know if you were alive or dead. You never kept your promise!"

The sound of the dull thumps of her fist hitting him was broken by the sound of flesh smacking flesh as Naruto caught her hand, his face set into a grimace. It frightened her to see him like that.

"Now let me tell you something Sakura. I've_ always_ cared about Team 7. I've _always_ cared about you. I've _always_ tried to go out of my way to make others happy. Was it so wrong to want happiness for myself? WAS IT?!"

Sakura gaped at him before her anger came back and she swung at him with her free hand.

"Why didn't you think of me?"

Naruto ducked her punch and lashed out at her with a kick.

"Why didn't _you_ think of _me_?"

Kakashi watched as the two traded blow after blow and knew he had to step in soon. They weren't being productive in this. Hell, the two of them were actually backsliding! They were supposed to come here to fix their broken relationship, not disintegrate it. He stepped between the two and caught their arms, wincing at the pressure.

"Stop it! You're both acting like children. Both of you sit down now!"

Naruto walked over to his tree and flopped down with his arms crossed. Sakura sat down in the shade of another tree, her knuckles cracking under pressure. Kakashi sighed and looked from one to the other.

"Sakura, we came here to make peace, not pound Naruto into the ground. Naruto, I'm disappointed that you would strike Sakura."

Naruto glared at the man and Kakashi shivered slightly, reminding himself that Naruto was a teacher now as well and that he had a certain presence about him.

"So what? I'm supposed to let her pound me into the ground while I stand there?"

"No dammit! You're both supposed to talk it out like adults! We aren't enemies, we're allies. We're comrades. We used to be a team! Let's talk about this."

"You don't really seem like the talking type Kakashi. You never were. Why the interest now?"

Kakashi sent a little killing intent Naruto's way.

"Do you want to mend the fences or not? I've done a little soul searching as of late Naruto and I don't want to be bitter about your leaving anymore. I don't think Sakura does either, she's just too stubborn to admit it."

Sakura mumbled something unintelligible and Kakashi turned his glare to her.

"And as for you…don't start fistfights here. Naruto isn't the same person you used to push around Sakura. And I don't think Temari would appreciate you beating up her man."

"I don't want to be here in the first place."

Kakashi sighed and sat down.

"That's perfectly fine Sakura. You can sit there and watch as Naruto and I talk and try to reestablish our rapport with one another while you sit there and sulk and miss your chance."

A small whisper that sounded like 'fine' was heard as Sakura slowly crawled over to where the two were sitting, before sitting with her legs crossed. Naruto kept a neutral look on his face as he spoke.

"I just want you two to know I didn't want to leave. I just saw no other alternative to anything at the time. I was tired of hatred from my own village. When I found out who my parents were I thought for a single moment, hoped against hope, that everything would get better. But it didn't. My heritage was denied because of who I was.'

Sakura shook her head.

"But they found out who you actually were Naruto. There was no reason to leave. Everything was going to get better."

Naruto sighed and looked Sakura in her eyes, making her squirm somewhat.

"Sakura…I don't want my ass kissed because of who my parents were. I lived my whole life as a nobody, dirt in the eyes of everyone, including you, because I had no parents to call my own. I never knew my parents or who they were, and God rest their souls, I have no idea who they truly were. Kakashi knew my father but I don't know anything about them except what I've been told by Tsunade and Jiraiya."

He refused to tell them about the scrolls he had copied. They may be 'comrades' but they were still loyal Leaf ninjas…

"Your parents were good people Naruto. I'm sure they'd be proud of you."

Naruto turned to Kakashi and smiled sadly.

"Would they Kakashi? Or would they be ashamed that I took the easy way out and left the village? Gave up on my dream and ran away? I don't know what they'd think. The point is…if I had stayed, things would have only got better on the surface. I still would have been resented and hated."

Sakura tried to come up with a convincing argument but she just couldn't. The longer she talked, the more she realized that she had missed Naruto terribly. Her misguided animosity toward him was being washed away by the fact that he had never been wanted in Konoha. Kakashi didn't know what to say to any of it.

"Naruto…we would have stood beside you no matter what."

"And I appreciate that. But you have to realize that I'm happy here. You two have to go on with your lives without me there. I can't be your sounding board Sakura. I can't be your tie to the past Kakashi. You have to start living for tomorrow. Move on. Think about it. What tied us together in the first place?"

Kakashi smiled under his mask and looked to Sakura.

"Teamwork…"

"Wrong."

The pinkhaired girl and the silverhaired man whipped their heads around to Naruto.

"We weren't truly a team until after Sasuke left. The three of _us_ were the true team. Sasuke was the thing that brought us together and united us. Up until he left, Sakura could have cared less if I dropped dead and you could have cared less if I just disappeared."

Both denied the charge at the same time with an emphatic 'That's not true!' Naruto shook his head, but Kakashi persisted.

"No, listen to me Naruto. You were always important to me as a student. I cared for your development just as much as Sasuke or Sakura."

"Pffft. Yeah right. The only thing you ever did was bring me vegetables when I was younger and show me how to train using Kage Bunshin after I came back. Other than that, you didn't do much."

Kakashi's frown could be felt through his mask.

"I was _trying_ to make up for lost time until _someone_ ran away."

Naruto set his face in a grimace and leaned forward slightly. This whole situation had been a long time coming and old wounds were seeing light for the first time in years now.

"There should never have been any lost time to make up."

"Well what about me? I always cared about you."

Naruto stared at the girl incredulously, glad that no one was there to see this whole fiasco.

"I believe you said one time that I always got in the way of you and Sasuke. You didn't ask if I was all right on the bridge during our first real mission after fighting Haku. You begged me to bring Sasuke back to you when he left the village. When I came back from my training journey, all you ever did was cry when things became too harsh. Hell, you never thanked me for saving you from Gaara!"

"That's not true Naruto! How can you say those things when you know they're not true?"

"Easy. Because I _do_ know they're true. Neither of you cared about me leaving until you realized how much easier I made your lives. Without me around to ridicule or boss around or use as fodder for jokes, your lives became less fun and meaningful. That key component to get Sasuke back was gone as well."

The whole time Naruto was speaking his voice was growing in volume and the ferocity with which he was delivering his diatribe was making Kakashi and Sakura wince, despite their growing anger.

"Without the Kyuubi brat around I bet everyone's lives have been better in Konoha. I bet the two of you didn't think I was serious at first did you? It's just Naruto pouting. He'll be back in a couple of days. He has to bring back Sasuke after all. Well fuck that! My life has meaning too you know! I've lived my whole life so others could be safe and happy. All I wanted from you two was the knowledge that you were happy if I was happy but you couldn't even give me that. You stewed over it for over a year."

His teeth were now visible, the slightly longer-than-average fangs bared.

"I'm truly happy for the first time in my life and the first thing you two do when you see me after a year is snub me. No hello, no how you doing, you turned your nose up at me like I was trash."

Sakura grit her teeth, her knuckles cracking from pressure.

"Well I didn't see you making any effort to speak to us! We had every right to be upset. You abandoned us!"

"I didn't abandon shit! There was never a team dynamic with us. Kakashi spewed all that bull about teamwork but when it came down to the wire, he was just like the rest of you, casting me aside for something better. And you were no fucking better. If Sasuke would never have left, you would have continued to be his little bitch!"

Her retort was to put her fist into his jaw as hard as she could, sending him careening across the ground to stop up against a tree. Before she or Kakashi could move, he was back beside them his fist planted in her gut. The speed with which he moved was astounding.

"You wanna get physical? Fine! Let's get physical!"

He lashed a kick at Kakashi's head only to have the jounin dodge and try to backhand him. Naruto leapt back and squared off with the two.

"This has been a long time coming. We have issues to settle and as ninjas, the only way to settle them is with our fists. Kage Bunshin no Jutsu."

Over a hundred clones poofed into existence and Kakashi and Sakura paled slightly. Naruto wasn't messing around with them. He had past grievances and he wanted a measure of payback. The clones charged them and they began a frantic melee to disperse as many as possible.

Naruto never moved from his spot, absorbing all the information that his clones gave him when they were dispelled. He retained the knowledge of Kakashi's cold stare in battle and the way Sakura grit her teeth as she destroyed one of his doppelgangers. Throughout it all, one thing became certain to him.

They weren't enjoying the fight…and neither was he. It shouldn't have happened this way.

Kakashi and Sakura finally rid themselves of the last clone and settled into guarded positions as they looked at the original Naruto. They immediately noticed the tears in the corner of his eyes and the crack in his voice as he spoke.

"You think I want to hurt people I considered family? I thought of Sasuke as my brother, even though he wanted to kill me. I tried and tried to bring him home, but he didn't want to come home. I thought of you as my sister and you as that crazy uncle you're ashamed of. Iruka was like a father to me. Baa-chan and Ero-Sennin may be the closest thing to grandparents I'll ever have. I don't want to fight any of you."

Kakashi dropped his guard and Sakura did the same. They were soon back on guard as Naruto himself rushed forward, driven by his pain, his face set into a look of sorrow as he began to rain blow after blow upon them.

"Why can't you see things my way? I hurt all the time back then but no one stepped up to help. All I wanted was a little love, someone who cared, but I couldn't have that. I got a team but none of you wanted me. You only used me."

Naruto landed a blow on Sakura's cheek and clubbed Kakashi in the head with the back of his hand. Both were amazed at his speed but they weren't slouches either. They also had an advantage. Naruto had been teaching for the better part of a year and while his skills weren't rusty, he was facing two extremely dangerous foes in tandem.

Sakura landed a kick on his thigh while Kakashi punched him in the shoulder. The blows rocked him hard and Naruto began to stumble. On his way back, he hit Kakashi in the hitai-ate, nearly giving him a black eye, and kicked Sakura in the gut. They were all fighting on empty, the emotional turmoil beginning to take its toll on them as their blows became weaker and weaker from lack of trying.

Naruto began to tear up as he fought, not from physical pain but from not wanting to fight them. Kakashi wasn't looking too hot either. That's when they decided jutsus would be appropriate.

Naruto was bound and determined to show that he didn't need a teacher to learn anything. He wouldn't do anything too threatening to them but unleashed his tornado jutsu and rushed at them. They both leapt away as he impacted the ground and left wide craters. Their eyes bulged. If he had connected with that…

Sakura charged her fist with chakra and punched the ground hard, splitting it and barely missed Naruto as he ran toward Kakashi. The one eyed ninja formed his seals and summoned a water dragon to hit Naruto in the chest. The boy disappeared with a puff and Kakashi found the back of his head assaulted by a fist before he Kawarimied out of danger.

Naruto pulled another jutsu out of his hat and blew them both away with a Futon: Daitoppa. Sakura was bowled into the creek while Kakashi hit a tree, nearly breaking it in half. Sakura came back with a punch to Naruto's jaw and Kakashi hit him with a low powered Raiton jutsu.

None of them were really trying to injure the others but the fight wasn't serving its purpose. It was supposed to make them feel better. Instead, it was making them feel worse. Naruto was now wiping full-fledged tears away as he ran and Kakashi looked ashamed.

Sakura had begun to tear up as well and got behind the blonde, wrapping his arms in an armlock. Her anger at him was all but gone as the fight was leaving them physically and emotionally drained.

"We didn't mean to use you. We're sorry ok? Just…let us fix it."

Naruto knocked her away and lashed out at Kakashi, putting the man on defensive.

"There's nothing left to fix. We can't even talk to each other any more without fighting. That's how bad it's gotten."

Kakashi knocked him onto his back with a well-timed punch and quickly wrapped his arms behind him; much in the way he had done Sasuke all those years ago.

"Let us apologize Naruto. Stop fighting us. We get it ok? We know we were wrong. Let us try to fix it."

Naruto threw Kakashi off of him and rose to his knees but didn't move. He was exhausted from all this, moreso than any fight he'd ever had. They'd apologized so…

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry for what I've said and done here today. Forgive me."

Sakura knelt beside him and drew him into a hug, the feeling of his warmth automatically familiar and comforting even after a year. She cried lightly into his shoulder and squeezed a little more.

"I'm sorry too for anything hurtful I might have said. Let's forgive but not forget though ok? Everything we said today was true and needed to be let out."

Naruto felt a hand on his shoulder and looked up into Kakashi's smiling eye. That was probably as close as he'd ever get to a hug from Kakashi.

"I'm willing to start with a clean slate if you are Naruto. We know you won't come back to Konoha and we're ok with that now. We just needed some form of closure."

Naruto chuckled lightly and finally got Sakura to release him.

"I guess we just needed to beat the crap out of each other huh? That was always the way we settled anything on Team 7."

The other two laughed lightly and they all enjoyed the silence, their bruises reminders of what had been said and done. They might not be a team anymore, hell, they still weren't totally comfortable with each other, but wounds were beginning to heal. Naruto finally stood with a groan and reached both his hands out to the reclining Konoha ninjas.

"Let me show you something I haven't shown anyone but Temari."

They took his hands and followed closely behind him.

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Naruto turned to them as they neared the caves and spoke with authority.

"You must understand that this is holy ground. Don't take anything from here and don't try to harm any of the inhabitants. Understood?"

Kakashi and Sakura nodded and Naruto ushered them inside. What they saw was astounding.

All around them were crystals of all different sizes and colors, throwing prisms of light onto each other in a never-ending river of colors. Kakashi and Sakura spun round and round taking in the visage.

"Beautiful isn't it? This is one of my new burdens. I am the guardian of these caves. The raccoon tribe has asked me to ensure their safety."

Sakura turned to him in awe.

"Is that why there are so many raccoons running around here?"

"Of course. This is their holy ground. I'm just a guardian. But this is where I connect to nature. These caves are host to many spirits and they help guide me in my meditation."

"You mean there are ghosts here?"

"No, I mean the spirits of the earth. It is from here that I can control the green most effectively and where my wind manipulation is the strongest. But it is in poor taste to do such things here and I have found that the spirits grow angry if I try jutsus here. The only thing safe to try is the green and I think that's because I'm helping the earth."

Kakashi stared at him and blinked.

"So…why did you bring us here?"

Naruto shrugged and grinned.

"I thought after our little tiff that we could all use some spiritual healing. Don't you feel it? Like you spirit is lifted, that it is lighter, that your soul feels freer? Here, I am more in touch with my spiritual side, allowing me empathy and insight into your viewpoint of our argument. And I can see your points quite clearly. Can you see mine?"

Kakashi and Sakura closed their eyes and opened their minds. Now they could see Naruto's point of view, feel the stares and glares of hatred, feel his feelings toward them, what he felt for Sasuke, how he loved his new home and Temari. They could feel it all and it was…enlightening. Sakura opened her eyes and embraced him again.

"I'm sorry Naruto. I'm sorry for everything. I want things to go back to how they used to be, like after you came back from your trip. I want us to be able to talk again."

"Yes Naruto. I want to be a proper friend since I'm no longer your sensei. Let's put all this behind us and try to be amicable at the very least."

Naruto smiled and nodded. This is what he had wanted since he had heard of how the two had treated Temari after he had moved to Suna. His stomach growled all of a sudden and he remembered his offer.

"Who's up for lunch? I'm starving."

Sakura and Kakashi laughed and followed him out and back to the compound. Naruto called over his shoulder as they walked.

"I want you two to apologize to Temari as well for how you treated her."

The two paled. Temari was a lot less likely to be forgiving than Naruto was…

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Temari practically flew over the sand on her way back. She'd been running for hours and when she saw the walls of Suna she put on a final burst of speed, rocketing past the guards and blowing by everyone on her way to the Tower. She forsook the door and climbed the side of the building, going all the way to Gaara's office.

The Kazekage took one look at his distraught sister and knew something was up.

Something big.

Temari tried to catch her breath and talk at the same time.

"Ran all…the way…here…Akatsuki…where's Naruto?"

Gaara tried to calm her down and sat her down in his chair.

"Talk normally. Catch your breath."

Temari took great gulps of breath and finally got her heartbeat back under control.

"I saw Akatsuki in that town you sent me to. I don't know if they're heading this way, but I need to find Naruto. Where is he?"

"He's with Kakashi and Sakura today."

Temari paled and bolted out of the room to find her boyfriend. Gaara called for Kankurou immediately. If Akatsuki was on the move again, they'd best be prepared.

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Temari had run for the property as fast as she could and was somewhat happy and irritated at the same time that they weren't there. Signs of their having been there were everywhere however. Uprooted trees, skidmarks, potholes…they had had quite a talk. She turned on her heel and ran for the compound. Hopefully he'd be there.

As she entered the house she heard the sound of Naruto's laughter and rushed in, nearly bowling him over with a bearhug. Whatever he'd been holding went flying but Kakashi skillfully caught the pan and it's contents and sat it back on the stove. Temari looked up at the two coldly and dragged Naruto to his feet.

"Hatake. Haruno."

The two flinched at the cold address but responded by bowing low.

"We apologize for the way we treated you Temari-san. Please forgive us."

Temari blinked and turned to a grinning Naruto.

"I guess your talks worked huh?"

He nodded vigorously. She smiled but immediately shook her head. She had to tell him.

"Naruto, I saw some Akatsuki as I was coming back. They were in a village a day away from here. I don't know if they're headed this way or not."

Everyone present froze at that and Naruto closed his eyes.

"Peace couldn't last forever. I had a year without them, but I guess forever was too much to ask."

He turned to the Konoha nins.

"I think your stay may be extended a tad. Just in case you understand."

Sakura and Kakashi nodded. They understood completely.

"Good. We'd better go find Baa-chan and Ero-Sennin. They'll want to hear this too."

The other three nodded and they set off to find the rest of their group.

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Trouble was coming to Suna in the form of two groups. They traveled from different directions but their goals were the same. To find and eventually kill a certain jinchuuriki, the last jinchuuriki.

The groups' goal was to find Uzumaki Naruto and take his life. One through extraction, the other through extermination.

The desert would play host to a fierce battle soon. A battle where all sides were enemies and things would come to a head. One way or another.

And at the middle of it all was someone who wanted nothing to do with any of it.

**Let me know what you think. Hopefully everything will tie together soon.**


	16. Welcome to Suna, Asshole

And here's Chapter 16. Sorry for taking so long. Enjoy. **I'm Down**_ by Goldfinger._

**CHAPTER SIXTEEN**

While Temari went to discuss strategy with Gaara and the Konoha nins, Naruto walked outside the gates of the village and sat down on the sand. The gate guards gave him some funny looks and one of them walked forward apprehensively.

"Naruto-san…what are you doing meditating here?"

Naruto didn't turn around and kept his eyes closed.

"The Akatsuki might be headed this way. I'm going to send out some scouts to see where they are and if they are indeed coming."

"But Naruto-san…our forces…."

"Are not necessary at the moment. I have my own. Please return to your posts and don't worry."

The guards were not comfortable with that, but walked back to their posts and stared at him. The Akatsuki had already infiltrated Suna once and beaten the Kazekage…but Naruto had done that when he was younger. Maybe there was nothing to worry about.

Naruto concentrated his chakra and flashed through the signs for Kuchiyose. A small army of coatis, red pandas, and raccoons popped into existence. Naruto eyed them all and smiled.

"Listen guys, I need you to do a little scouting. Run out into the desert and go as far as you can. Pick a direction and report back if you see anyone heading this way. Got it?"

**HAI!**

"Good. Now get going."

The guards watched in amazement as the raccoon tribe members raced off in different directions at high speeds, their bushy tails flopping as they ran. Naruto remained seated with his legs crossed, his hands folded in his lap, his eyes closed. The brave gate guard crept forward again and tapped him on the shoulder.

"Naruto-san…what should we do?"

"Remain calm. There is nothing to fear yet."

The guard nodded and walked back to his post, fidgeting with a kunai nervously. Naruto sighed and closed his eyes again when he heard the sand beside him crunch and opened one eye to glance up at Temari. She sat down beside him and pulled her legs up to her chest, her ankles crossed and arms wrapped around her legs securely.

"Hey you. What's the plan?"

Temari turned her head to him and smiled.

"We wait for them and then launch an offensive. We just need to find out how many there are. Gaara will be sending out scouts soon."

"No need. I've already sent out several scouts."

She gaped and grabbed his arm.

"Naruto, you don't have the authority…"

"No, Temari, not Suna nins. I sent out raccoon summons. Speaking of summons, where is Sanzoku? I haven't seen him lately."

"He's with Hinata, curled up around her neck. Little fuzzy bastard…"

"You two really should get along. Although it is funny to watch you two."

Temari leaned against him and sighed.

"We only argue because it's fun. We actually get along pretty well. What do you plan to do?"

"I'm waiting for my summons to find something. Hopefully, we'll at least know the direction they're coming from."

Temari nodded and continued to lean against him. She silently wished that the peace they had could have gone on forever, but alas, it was not meant to be. She realized that if Akatsuki was successful in capturing Naruto, there would be no Chiyo to bring him back to life…not that Naruto would want anyone to sacrifice themselves for him. The thought was unsettling.

Not to mention that once they were through with this, if they survived, then they had to go to Konoha and jaw jack with the bull headed council. Gaara had told her she would be going for emotional support and that they could stay as long as they wanted, a vacation of sorts. Not a vacation she wanted, but then, any time with Naruto was great.

After almost ten minutes of silence they heard the crunching of sand under sandals and turned to find the Konoha nins and Gaara and Kankurou. Gaara strode forward and Naruto and Temari stood.

"The scouts are ready to deploy."

"No need. I've already sent out summons. Some should be reporting in soon."

Gaara nodded and told the gathered scouts to prepare for an attack. They saluted and rushed off to inform the rest of their comrades. Gaara took a deep breath and closed his eyes.

"Tell me Naruto…do you ever foresee us having peace? Will we ever be able to live normal, happy lives?"

Naruto gave his friend a sad smile and sat down on the ground again, facing the desert.

"You might Gaara, now that your demon is gone. I never will. Your sister is all the normality I need though."

Gaara snorted when Temari's face lit up and she flushed red. The rest of the entourage chuckled and she hastily sat down next to her boyfriend again, trying to maintain some dignity. Naruto snickered and leaned over, giving her a peck on the cheek, gaining an 'Awww' from the gathered ninjas and a glare from Temari.

"Stop that! You're ruining my reputation! I'm supposed to be Sabaku no Temari, not a mushy little girl."

"But Temari-chan…you'll always be tough to me."

She ground her teeth and punched him in the shoulder. Despite it being a sweet thing to say (and secretly, she enjoyed the banter) he was saying it in front of everyone and it was embarrassing. Before she could unleash her half-hearted wrath upon him, a poof of smoke appeared before the two and a coati raced into Naruto's lap.

**Naruto-sama! Naruto-sama! There's two guys in cloaks with red clouds heading this way from the east!**

"Very good. What do they look like?"

The little coati blinked and tilted its head.

**Ummm…I dunno. All humans look a like to me. Plus they were kind of hiding their faces.**

Naruto groaned and picked the coati up, holding it to eye level.

"Look little fella, I need to know. Were they carrying any weapons or anything?"

**Um…uh…oh yeah! One had a big, bandaged thing on his back. The other one was really short. Um…that's all.**

Naruto sighed heavily and sat the coati down, patting it on its head.

"Kisame and Itachi. It seems those two never give up. If I didn't hate them, I might be willing to admire them. You may go now."

The coati nodded and dispelled itself with a puff of smoke. No sooner had it disappeared than a raccoon appeared, clad in a red and gold vest with a fez on its head. Temari snickered at how the thing looked but it ignored her.

**Naruto-sama! There's a group of four headed this way! One of them is a really big guy who shakes a lot and another guy has a really big sword and another is a really loud chick and the other guy is really quiet. The quiet one is the leader I think.**

Naruto gave a shuddering sigh and looked to the heavens. It seemed sometimes that perhaps Neji was right and there really was such a thing as fate. How else could you explain why his life sucked so bad most of the time?

Temari picked the little raccoon up and sat him on her lap.

"Are you sure about what you said?"

The fez-hatted raccoon nodded and wrung its paws together.

**Yeah, I'm sure. The short guy gave off a really bad vibe. It was like he was saturated with evil…who was he?**

"His name is Uchiha Sasuke…and he used to be my friend. Or so I thought, once upon a time. You may go now."

The little raccoon nodded and was about to dispel itself when it saw Sanzoku curled around Hinata's neck. It tilted its head and ran up to her feet.

**Sanzoku! I thought you were Naruto-san's familiar. Why are you with this girl?**

**Because she's pretty and she doesn't try to kill me.**

**Ah…I like the blonde I was speaking to better.**

**That's because you don't know her.**

Sanzoku heard a growl and saw Temari glaring at him.

"Care to say that to my face furball?"

Sanzoku shuddered on Hinata's shoulder and hopped down.

**Run while you can kit. She's bonkers.**

"I can still hear you."

The raccoon dispelled itself before it got in the middle of a fight and Sanzoku waddled over to Naruto, climbing his back and resting on his shoulder.

**What now boss? What do we do?**

"It seems we have two parties to plan for Sanzoku. I'll need you at your best today. You and I are going to be in a real battle together. But first, I have something I have to do."

The red panda nodded and hopped off Naruto's shoulders. The blonde boy clapped his hands together and held them before his face.

"No one interrupt me. I'm going to try to attempt something I've never done before."

Jiraiya quirked an eyebrow and smirked.

"And what would that be Naruto?"

"I'm going to try to use the green to find out what we're up against. I'll need quiet though, since I'm going to be concentrating hard. Please don't interrupt me until I come out of my trance and don't touch me, no matter what happens."

Before anyone could protest, he shut his eyes and entered into a deep trance, his breathing slowing, as he contacted the source that only he could command.

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_It was totally different in this realm of existence. Everything was so alive, death nothing but a nuisance since everything was cyclical. Naruto had never directly attempted to contact the source of the green before, but now was as good a time as any. But everything was so peaceful in this realm. If it weren't for the fact that he was incorporeal, he would have liked to have stayed forever._

_He wandered through a forest that was too beautiful and serene to ever be real or exist in his world. There were no animals, but there was enough life to let him know that the forest itself breathed. His trek was over when he came to a small, open shrine with a lone person sitting cross-legged on a red pillow. _

_Naruto approached the shrine cautiously and found the person to be a man, ancient looking, with a white beard that flowed down and over the steps leading up to him. The man had no hair on his head and wore white robes that covered everything. The only piece of color on him was a green sash that crossed from his right shoulder to his left hip. The ancient man cracked an eye open and gave Naruto a small smile._

"_Not quite what you were expecting, huh boy?"_

_Naruto knelt before the shrine and bowed low, his forehead touching the ground, before looking back up._

"_No, ancient one, I did not. I did not know what to expect truthfully."_

_The old man chuckled and started to rise from his position. Before Naruto could move to help him, branches came from the trees and helped him to stand. He cracked his back and wrapped his beard around his waist, looping the end through his sash and stepped carefully down the steps. Once on ground level, a root reached out to him and snapped itself off at the end, making a gnarled cane for him. The old man smiled at Naruto and beckoned for the boy to rise and follow._

_They walked into a field that seemed to have every flower imaginable, colors of every hue and a thousand scents assaulted his eyes and tickled his nostrils. Naruto looked out upon the field and wished that he could take back some of the flowers to Temari. Some, he was sure, had never had mortal eyes laid on them before. The old man coughed and Naruto turned his attention back to the smiling ancient one._

"_I believe that you have done much with the power I allow you to wield child. Not many have ever handled the burden of the green as well as you. Even your own mother never managed to contact me. You continue to surprise me boy."_

"_My name is Naruto, not boy."_

_The old man laughed heartily at his statement and tapped his cane on the ground._

"_Very well then. Naruto it is. My name is…inconsequential. To you, I am simply Master or Ancient One. My name is lost to history and there is no reason for it to ever be known again."_

_The old man leaned his head back slightly and took a whiff of the air, inhaling deeply. _

"_Do you find this field of flowers calming Naruto? I do. It always calms me when I am troubled."_

_Naruto nodded and took a whiff as well._

"_It is lovely. Very peaceful."_

"_Hai, as the green should be. Peaceful. Now, what is it that you needed that would make you try to contact me?"_

_Naruto had winced when the old man said 'peaceful'. He knew the old man knew why he was there, but it had to be said._

"_I wish to use the green to help subdue and spy on my enemies. Will you allow this?"_

_The old man's eyes cut to him and to Naruto it felt like all life in the area died._

"_Why would I allow my power to be used in such a manner? It is to be used for life and the growth of the world, not for destruction."_

"_I don't seek destruction. I seek to protect my village and my loved ones."_

"_By sowing seeds of chaos?"_

"_By launching a preemptive attack. We can't always afford to be passive, no matter how much we want to be. Sometimes, you have to attack first to ensure your survival."_

_The old man turned away from him and put both hands down on the cane._

"_The green isn't meant to be used in that manner."_

"_Lots of things aren't supposed to be used the way they are. Living prisons shouldn't exist either but they do."_

_The old man nodded and turned back to face Naruto._

"_That is true. Your body was not intended to house a demon…or was it? Perhaps it was your fate."_

"_I don't believe in fate. That's a cheap way out for the man who has lost all hope."_

_The old man's eyes turned up with his smile and the landscape burst into color again._

"_And yet, you believed so much that you were destined to be Hokage."_

"_I wanted to be Hokage through hard work. Not fate."_

"_If you don't believe in fate, how do you live?"_

"_I live for the future."_

"_If you live for the future, how can you live for the present?"_

"_I love someone and she is my present and future."_

"_What made you want to wield my power?"_

"_The thought that I might do good with it."_

_The old man leaned more heavily on the cane and sighed loudly._

"_That you would do good with it…blood does not water plants."_

_Naruto narrowed his eyes and set his jaw._

"_And a dead gardener does not tend a garden."_

_The old man threw his head back and laughed to the heavens, his rumbling like thunder in the stillness of the realm. When he had calmed down once again, he opened his eyes and looked upon Naruto kindly._

"_You were indeed a good choice to wield my power. Do what you will with it. It is yours to command. And take care of the one you love. Mighty trees from small acorns grow."_

"_Is that a riddle?"_

"_It is a bit of advice. Never lose that indomitable spirit of yours."_

"_You make it sound like this is the last time we shall speak."_

_The old man hobbled over to Naruto and handed him the cane, and took several careful steps back. Naruto looked down at the cane and then back to the man._

"_What is the meaning of this?"_

_The old man smiled again and cracked his back._

"_It has been millennia since I took up the mantle of protector of the green. My burden is finally ended. My power will pass to you."_

_Naruto's eyes widened and he stepped forward, holding out the cane._

"_I don't want this power forever! I…."_

_The old man held up a hand and stepped forward, putting a gnarled hand on either of Naruto's shoulders._

"_This was decided long before your birth. The green does not care what you think Naruto. It chooses its wielder based on its own needs and wants. You were destined to wield this power. Its yours to do with as you please."_

"_But I don't…"_

"_It doesn't matter. It's yours. Now go and live your life without regrets and leave an old man to slip into eternity and see his loved ones once again. Do not lose that fire in your belly Namikaze Naruto."_

_Naruto's eyes widened to their fullest and his voice came out in a whisper._

"_How…how did you know my name?"_

"_The green knows many things. Now leave an old man in peace Namikaze Naruto."_

_Naruto faded out and watched as the old man began to disappear, wisps of his being fading into the ever-expanding field of flowers. The look on his face was one of pure bliss and happiness that his burden was over._

"_Goodbye Ancient One. May your soul find peace."_

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Temari watched as Naruto closed his eyes and then, not thirty seconds later, she felt a large rush of power. She whirled around to see what the others thought and saw that none of them had even felt it. They didn't notice. She turned back to Naruto and caught his eyes opening again. She guessed it was her imagination.

Naruto turned his head slowly to Temari and gave her a small smile.

"Hey. How long was I out?"

"About thirty seconds."

Naruto nodded and stood up, offering her his hand. Temari took it and he pulled sharply so that she rocketed off the sand.

"That old man worked quick. I guess he was right."

Temari quirked her eyebrow and touched his arm.

"Old man? Right about what?"

Naruto smiled at her and pulled her in for a hug.

"I was just told to appreciate the present Temari-chan. Now stand back and let's see if I can do this."

Temari stepped back to the others and they all watched as Naruto slowly raised his right arm, outstretched over the sand. A piece of wood rocketed up out of the sand and into his hand. The group watched as he gripped it tightly and faced them. To them, it was just a gnarled piece of what looked like an old root, a knot at the top, the entire thing nearly five feet long. Temari, however, could see the wisps of green power rolling off of it.

Naruto grinned and turned back to the desert, jamming the staff of wood into the sand and clapped his hands together in front of his face while leaning against the imbedded staff. Temari touched his shoulder and he cracked an eye open.

"Naruto, what are you doing? We don't have time for you to meditate twice."

He grinned and closed his eye again.

"Don't worry Temari-chan. I'm just giving our unwanted guests a little welcoming present."

They all wondered what he could possibly mean.

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The two robed figures moved across the desert in no particular hurry. The larger one had sworn that he had seen a rat running across the desert and then poof out of existence, but his shorter companion chalked it up to heat stroke and the fact that he was used to having water near.

Kisame took the bamboo hat off his head and wiped his extremely sweaty brow. He hated the desert, absolutely, positively hated it. Unlike Itachi, he wasn't genetically predisposed to being cool as a cucumber all the time. He mopped his brow again and put the hat back on, huffing loudly.

"God damn it, I hate the desert. I've always hated this place. Why did we have to come again?"

"Because the Kyuubi is my responsibility and you are my partner. Now quit complaining and move."

Kisame grumbled under his breath and took another step forward, only for something pointy to erupt under the spot where his foot would have been. He leapt back and pulled Samehada from his back in one swift motion. Itachi was several feet away, looking for their assailant. Kisame narrowed his eyes at what had tried to gut him.

It was a tree root. And there was only one person alive who could command tree roots…

"That Yamato bastard is around here somewhere!"

"No."

Kisame blinked, but kept his guard up.

"No?"

"No. It's not Yamato. He has to have pre-existing plant life to command it. This was born from nothing. This is different."

A stalk of thorns erupted near Itachi and dragged across his face, leaving a line of blood. He put his hand up to touch the blood and looked at the droplets on his fingertips.

"It seems that we have an unknown variable here Kisame. I believe it would be prudent that we observe from here on out. We will not attack. We will watch and we will wait."

As soon as the words left his mouth, the ground exploded in a deluge of greenery. Limbs wound around each other and vines snaked around huge trees that came from nowhere. Kisame ended up wedged in between two massive limbs from a tree that looked like it had come from the forests around Konoha. He snarled and cut the limbs in two with Samehada, looking for Itachi.

He soon found his smaller companion, hanging upside down by his ankles, which were wrapped in vines. Kisame laughed at his stoic partner's expression and his laughter only deepened when he heard Itachi grunt.

"I believe that our assailant is someone we know…and they have a most odd sense of humor."

Once Itachi was free, the two stepped back and blinked owlishly at the expanse of trees and vines that shouldn't exist in the desert. It was like an oasis just sprang up from nowhere.

"Remember Kisame, we will just watch. I believe that Pein-sama would want us to report on this development. Naruto-kun will always be around."

Kisame nodded and shouldered Samehada again and grumbled.

"Too bad the bastard couldn't have made a river instead."

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Naruto grinned at the information he just gleaned from the green. So the two had opted to observe instead eh? Perfect. Perhaps he could get some information on Akatsuki while they were watching him.

This small power from the green was prett cool. No matter at the moment. He had a former comrade to torture…

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Sasuke was obviously disconcerted with his situation at the moment. Karin was being especially annoying at the moment and Juugo was twitching, trying to keep his urges under control. Suigetsu, for once, was not antagonizing the girl and for that he was grateful.

The closer they got to Suna, the more excited he got at the thought of seeing his old 'friend' again. He had long ago made up his mind that Mangekyou needed to be his, regardless of the personal cost. His defeat at the hands of his brother was too humiliating.

He needed the Mangekyou. Killing Naruto was the only way.

He had heard in their travels that the jinchuuriki had left Konoha and now resided in Suna. That had been his first indication that something was amiss in Konoha. The blonde idiot would never have just given up his dream without a good reason…unless he was cast out. That was a possibility.

His time away from any village at all had seriously diminished Sasuke's information and he knew he was sorely lacking. This little venture could cost him much if he wasn't careful. It wasn't like he had any allies outside the three traveling with him.

Betraying everyone you ever came into contact with made people a little leery of trusting you after all.

As Karin latched onto his arm again, Sasuke growled and thrust her away to the side. She squealed when she landed and shrieked when several thorny vines erupted from the ground where she had been standing. Suigetsu immediately began to hack at them, but they only grew more. Sasuke pulled his sword from his back, looking for the only one he knew could do such a thing.

"Show yourself Yamato, you tree hugging bastard! Show yourself!"

Of course, Yamato never answered and the group constantly had to dodge the vines that tried to ensnare them. Juugo was the first to be caught, his limited thought capacity not up to dealing with vines that were seemingly sentient. Karin was next, strung upside down, screaming and kicking.

Suigetsu was tiring quickly. There was only so much hacking and slashing he could do before he would tire. And trying to cut his teammates loose was fast becoming a chore he could do without. He missed a swipe at a huge tree branch and was knocked unconscious when the very same branch wrapped around itself and struck him in the side of the head.

Sasuke growled under his breath and dodged again. He hated that Yamato bastard even more now. He sliced another vine trying to wrap around him and leapt back when he heard an inhuman screech and turned to see a giant Venus flytrap behind him. The thing spread its maw and lunged for him.

He rolled to the side and scrambled to his feet. He had to put some distance between him and the plant. As soon as that was accomplished, he flashed through handseals as quickly as possible and unleashed a fiery dragon at the Venus flytrap. It squealed in protest before burning to a cinder and collapsing upon the ground. Sasuke breathed a sigh of relief and was about to set his companions free when the foliage around him withered and crumbled to nothingness.

His team fell to the ground with three loud thuds and Sasuke sheathed his sword. He'd have to wait for them to wake up before they could leave. Looking out over the withering vines, he thought he saw a pattern to them. Sending chakra to his legs, he leapt into the air, his eyes narrowing and his teeth grinding together when he saw the message.

**WELCOME TO SUNA ASSHOLE**

Sasuke landed on the ground and slapped Karin awake. They had to go now while he still had his anger. This Yamato prick was going to die by his sword if nothing else.

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Naruto smirked and straightened up, stepping away from his staff before grabbing it up and holding it in his hand. The gnarled wood felt oh so familiar and comforting in his grasp and he twirled it lightly before jamming it back into the ground. He looked around to his friends and grinned.

"Kisame and Itachi are coming to observe what happens and Sasuke is livid and is out for blood. I think my little message to him bruised his delicate ego."

Temari blinked and put her hands on her hips.

"What the hell are you talking about?"

Naruto grinned and relayed to them what all he had done to throw off their guests. Several chuckles and guffaws later at the expense of the missing nins, everyone got serious. It was time to get ready to go on the offensive. Shikamaru came to the forefront and began to outline his plan in the sand.

"All right, since we don't have to worry about Akatsuki apparently, then we should just focus on Sasuke and his little buddies. Now then, Suigetsu is a water user so Kakashi should take him on with Raiton jutsus. This Karin chick should go to Sakura. The Juugo guy could probably go to Lee and me. Sasuke is up to Naruto. You four should pick out who you want to back you up."

After much deliberation, the groups were still not decided and everyone had just agreed to jump in when they saw an opening, letting the designated ninjas try their hand first. Naruto was just about to crack another joke when he felt something headed his way and ducked the shuriken that had been aimed at his head. He turned and found a sight he hadn't seen in quite a while.

A haggard Team Hebi stood before the gathered ninjas with a fuming Sasuke at the forefront. Karin darted her eyes back and forth nervously as she assessed the situation. They were outnumbered at least three to one with the assembled group…and there was still the entire Suna force behind the wall. Why in the hell did she follow this crazy bastard again?

Oh yeah…she thought he was cute…

"Sasuke-sama, I think a tactical retreat might be in order. We're heavily outnumbered."

Sasuke glared at her, a silent order to shut up.

"I'm not leaving until I have that eye. It is mine by right and all I have to do is kill that idiot. I've beaten him once. I can do it again."

"But Sasuke-sama, we're heavily outnumbered..."

"I SAID NO!"

Naruto narrowed his eyes and stepped forward, away from the group. Sasuke took note of the staff and put his hand on the hilt of his sword.

"Have you broken a hip or something dobe? Or do you just like the feel of that wood in your hand?"

"Actually, it's a gift from a very ancient sage. I happen to like it. Now, what say you come quietly and I won't hurt you."

Sasuke sneered and spit in Naruto's direction.

"Still intent on bringing me back for that pink haired harpy eh dobe? I thought you might have learned by now."

"I'm totally fine with maiming you and handing you over Sasuke. Perhaps you didn't notice, but there have been significantly less missions to save you since the Akatsuki fiasco. I could care less about your welfare. We're not twelve anymore."

Sasuke pulled his sword and nodded his head to the left.

"What say we take this over there and finish what we started all those years ago? We never had a definitive finish."

Naruto cracked his neck and swept his arm in an encompassing motion.

"After you, you rotten bastard."

The two disappeared and Sasuke's team looked toward the rest of the ninjas; Karin fearfully, Suigetsu warily, Juugo hungrily. Sakura cracked her knuckles and sneered.

"Looks like we get to relieve a little stress after all huh Kakashi-sensei?"

"It would appear so. I call dibs on the water user. I have history with that sword."

"He's all yours. I want the red haired bitch."

The rest looked at Juugo and his rapidly declining mood and obvious dementia. Gaara shrugged, his sand coming to life.

"Guess we get leftovers."

Shikamaru sighed. Why did he bother with plans at all?

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Naruto and Sasuke stood facing each other, neither moving. This battle had been a long time coming and it made both nostalgic. Sasuke took a deep breath and smirked.

"You know…the last time we faced off like this, I nearly killed you."

"The last time we faced each other, I vividly remember you nearly pissing your pants everytime I stood back up."

Sasuke snarled and made to draw his sword, but was stopped by a hand. He turned his head to find Naruto standing behind him. His eyes turned back to the front and the Naruto standing before him waved and poofed out of existence.

"Now now Sasu-chan. We have admirers here. We need to go all out. Don't be so hasty."

Sasuke elbowed him in the gut and Naruto grunted before disappearing in a cloud of smoke…another clone.

"Show yourself you gutless wonder! Stop hiding behind your clones!"

Naruto sighed and Sasuke spun to face him. He noted that the blonde had gotten faster.

Not nearly fast enough however.

Sasuke took several deep breaths and closed his eyes, reopening them to reveal the Sharingan.

"Now let's see you run."

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Kisame and Itachi sat perched on a sand dune not far from the scene, silently watching the goings on. Neither was impressed so far.

"The Kyuubi brat's playing with your brother. He's toying with him."

"Yes, he is. I wonder how Sasuke will react when he finds out?"

"I bet he flips out and pulls on the curse seal."

"I know he will. My foolish little brother has always taken the path of least resistance to power. He won't hesitate to use the seal, especially when Naruto-kun begins to win."

"So what's the plan?"

Itachi sat for a moment, pondering.

"When Naruto-kun starts to win, we'll move in and make our presence known. We can't try to take him because he has eyes on him besides ours, but I would love to see my brother's expression."

Kisame grinned and shifted Samehada.

"This could be fun. I hope it's an entertaining show."

**I'll try to be a little more punctual. My house closes later in the week hopefully. Let me know what you thought of the chapter.**


	17. The fight that was long coming

And here's Chapter 17. Hope you like this one. I worked hard on it. Rejoice! For AUATD has now recieved over 300k hits! A very nice feather in my cap. Couldn't have done it without you guys. Readers, Reviewers, Thank you...**Second Heartbeat **_by Avenged Sevenfold._

**CHAPTER SEVENTEEN**

Naruto dodged yet another sword swipe from the Uchiha, backpedaling in circles around the dunes. Sasuke's face was one of pure, unadulterated hatred and anger as he tried repeatedly to hit the boy. But it seemed the Sharingan was having trouble predicting the movements. Everytime he would see the phantasm of Naruto's body move, the image would slow or speed up, confusing his eyes.

It was, to say the least, infuriating.

The raven-haired boy thrust the sword forward, catching Naruto's cloak and tearing a gash all down the side of it, splitting it in twain. Naruto leapt back again and grasped the torn fabric. He frowned at first, the frown soon turning into a full-blown death glare.

"This was my father's jacket. It has priceless sentimental value to me and you ruined it."

Sasuke smirked and settled himself into a low sword stance.

"Your father? Don't make me laugh. A loser like you doesn't have family. You don't have parents. You don't have a legacy to live up to. I do. I have a family to avenge. I have a legacy to live up to. Remember that day when I said I would kill you on a whim? I'm killing you with purpose now."

Naruto's face was set in a grimace as he jammed his staff into the ground and let the fabric fall from his hands before shucking the coat and tossing it aside. His shirt followed and Sasuke noticed the seals drawn onto his arms and his pectorals.

"What are those loser? Tattoos?"

Naruto smirked and stood up, rolling his pants legs up as well. The necklace around his neck bounced in the wind and he put it into his pants pocket, lest it get lost.

"You'll find out later if I actually need them Sasuke. I didn't just appear into this world you know. I was born like you were. I had parents who were more special than yours."

Sasuke blinked and the blonde disappeared. Sasuke looked around frantically, only to have a familiar arm wrap around his neck and a kunai thrust against his Adam's apple. Naruto leant down to his ear and whispered.

"My parents were amazing shinobi Sasuke. Amazing. There were none like them and there never will be. The Uchiha never made a Hokage did they? They never accomplished anything. Itachi was the best of you all and he went rogue. You can't hold a candle to him and do you know why?"

Sasuke grit his teeth and eased his sword back to strike the blonde. Naruto chuckled and pushed the kunai harder into the boy's Adam's apple.

"You will never beat him unless he lets you. You simply can never catch up to him because he will always be better than you in skill. 'Only an Uchiha can kill an Uchiha' you said one time. I think that's a bit facetious. I had plenty of opportunities to kill you at the Valley of the End and Haku did a good job of rendering you helpless. He could have taken you out at any time."

Sasuke jerked his head backwards, headbutting Naruto in the nose and turned around quickly, jamming his Kusanagi into the blonde's chest. Naruto coughed up blood and looked down. Sasuke grinned and twisted the blade, making the boy gasp and spit up more globules of blood.

"Worthless. Just like the rest of them. You were never on my level Naruto. I only acknowledged you that one time because I had thought you a worthy rival. But you were never on my level."

A low chuckle came from the blonde as he grasped the sword hilt and looked into Sasuke's eyes.

"You're right. I've never been on your level because I surpassed you long ago."

With a burst of smoke the clone was gone and Sasuke twirled round and round to find Naruto standing several feet away with his staff in his hand. The Uchiha activated his Sharingan again and sneered at Naruto.

"What's the matter you blonde fool? Afraid to get close even when you have a knife to my throat?"

Naruto shook his head and tapped the staff on the ground.

"Sasuke, you're going to learn a hard lesson here. I'm going to show you just how useless that Sharingan of yours is."

Sasuke let out a short barking laugh and the tomoe in his eye twirled as if in disbelief.

"You couldn't break the Sharingan then without the Kyuubi's help and you sure as hell can't do it now."

"I seem to remember someone else needing help from another source as well. And you relied on its power first. I never chose to rely on another's power. Mine's been with me since birth. Want to know something else?"

The Uchiha eyed him warily as Naruto grinned.

"I haven't used it since either. Now pay close attention. I've been training for the day we would meet again and I have a nice little surprise for you. Remember those 'tattoos' you were admiring? Those are seals. I have six on my body. Let's see you keep up when I release them. I wonder how many I'll have to release to take you down?"

Sasuke grit his teeth as the blonde mused to himself. His eyes widened when he felt a sudden rush of wind as Naruto swiped a hand over one of the seals on his chest and it slowly vanished. The blonde smiled and patted his right pec.

"Ah, that's better. Now then, let's see how much faster I am."

In a blur he was before Sasuke and clubbed him in the chin with the staff, sending the Uchiha rocketing backwards over the sand. Sasuke skidded for a moment and rolled on his back, coming back to his feet. Naruto grinned and tapped the sand with his staff.

"Well? Whaddya think ya whiny bastard?"

Sasuke's answer was to snarl and rush back towards him, Sharingan blazing.

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Kisame looked across to Itachi and saw he too had his eyes fixed solely on the fight below. The giant blue man wiped his brow again, hoping desperately for a thunderstorm or even a simple cloud to cover the sun.

"The kid's gotten better huh? Your brother is having quite the time down there."

Itachi nodded and let his eyes rest for a moment.

"Those seals on him intrigue me. I've never seen such things. I wonder if he made them himself?"

"I dunno. That breeze felt good though. I'm almost tempted to shake his hand and thank him for that."

Itachi grunted and reactivated his Sharingan.

"I am still not impressed by either yet though…"

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Sakura cracked her knuckles as she looked at Karin, who looked like a mouse caught by a cat. The red haired girl's eyes darted here and there looking for a way out.

"Hey! Red! Give up and I won't knock the mess out of you."

Karin's eyes locked onto Sakura and she dipped into a taijutsu stance.

"I don't want to be here right now and I know this is a bad idea, but Sasuke-sama wants those eyes like his brother. Uzumaki has to die. I have to help Sasuke-sama attain his goal."

Sakura looked perplexed as the girl readied herself.

"Why? Why help him?"

Karin looked into Sakura's eyes and hardened her own.

"He saved me from Orochimaru. That's all you need to know."

Sakura threw up her arms and blocked the first kick before rolling aside. She grimaced when she thought of how she had used to blindly follow Sasuke everywhere…and apparently he had actually saved this girl. It would be hard to convince the redhead to give in.

Sakura pulled her gloves a little tighter and leapt back into the fray.

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Kakashi eyed Suigetsu with utter boredom, his hands in his pockets.

"You know, I have history with that sword. It doesn't belong with you. It was a monument to a great swordsman, one who earned my respect."

Suigetsu brandished the sword with both hands and sneered.

"I'm honoring Zabuza in my own way. Kubikiri Houcho was meant to be used, not to rust in the ground. Claiming the blood of the Copy Ninja will be a great feather in my cap and another ninja fallen in the sword's illustrious history."

Kakashi sighed and blinked again, his eye only half open.

"I was hoping you would give up so I could go and watch my two former students beat the tar out of each other. But, I guess taking that sword back to its rightful place is just as good."

Suigetsu scoffed and lowered the sword another inch.

"The only way you're getting this sword from me is to pry it from my cold, dead hands."

Kakashi's visible eye glared at the former Mist nin and he pulled a kunai out of his pouch.

"So be it. Don't say I tried diplomacy."

Suigetsu ran to him with a battlecry and Kakashi blocked the sword with his kunai, his lazy eye still present.

"You know, you may have skill for one so young, but Zabuza was a master and I defeated him. You don't have a snowball's chance in hell."

Suigetsu laughed and lunged the sword back again, swinging for Kakashi's midsection only to hit a Kage Bunshin.

"Resorting to cheap tricks Copy Ninja? That's fine, so can I."

Kakashi shook his head from his position under the ground.

'You're a water user in the desert you fool. You're way out of your element."

Kakashi wordlessly reached up and grasped Suigetsu's ankles, pulling the boy underground so only his head was visible. He crouched down beside the youth and gave him an eye smile.

"Like I said, you have skill but Zabuza was a master. You're out of your league."

His smile faltered when Suigetsu gave him one of his own.

"You ain't seen nothing yet Copycat."

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The others were all gathered around Juugo as his demeanor became more and more bestial and barbaric. It almost seemed as if he was having a battle with himself, like a part of his psyche, the dark part, wanted dominance at the moment. The giant grunted and groaned, grasping his head.

Shikamaru watched as Juugo fought with himself. He couldn't figure out really what the problem was but he was leaning toward split personalities. He sidled up to Tsunade, Jiraiya, and Gaara.

"So…any ideas on what this guy's capable of? If I have some clues, maybe I can come up with a way to subdue him."

Jiraiya nodded, his eyes still transfixed on the struggling Juugo.

"His name is Juugo. My sources tell me that he is the origin of the curse seal. His psyche is split into two parts; a peaceful one and a bloodthirsty one. His bloodthirst is always fighting to get out and kill. He usually keeps it in line but in situations like this, it comes to the forefront."

Shikamaru nodded his head.

"If I capture him in my Kage Mane and Gaara and Chouji help subdue him, can one of you knock him out?"

"It should be possible. From what I hear, he has no tact when he's in a rage. He's just a killing machine. We'll help you bind him and then Tsunade can knock him out with her strength."

Shikamaru nodded and made the rat seal.

"Here we go then."

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Naruto grinned as he dodged another blow from Sasuke. He was somewhat disappointed that the Uchiha's speed wasn't up to par with his but remembered a time when it was the other way around. Naruto had always been the powerhouse of the group while Sasuke had been the speed demon. All of his attacks depended on the speed to deliver them.

Sasuke grit his teeth and wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth. He had spent the last couple of minutes just trying to land a blow on the blonde and nothing had worked. Surely those six small seals hadn't done that much to help his speed. And what the hell were they? He took a deep, calming breath and stood up straight again.

"I'm done playing around with you. It's obvious that you've improved. But so have I. You have to remember, I killed Orochimaru."

Naruto scoffed.

"Oh please, anyone could have beaten Orochimaru if they'd attacked him at his weakest, on the day his current body was giving out. Now quit complaining and just do the curse seal thingy you like to do. I have other places to be."

Sasuke growled as the black marks spread across his skin. He hated to be disregarded as insignificant and what Naruto was doing was infuriating him right now. He grinned as the black flames danced across his face and his eyes changed once again.

"You're going to regret that."

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Kisame watched gleefully as the two boys pounded away on each other, his fingers drumming excitedly on Samehada's hilt.

"Hey Itachi, how far do you think those two will go?"

Itachi didn't bother looking at his much larger companion as he kept his Sharingan active, watching the two.

"I don't think it will last much longer. Ninja fights of this caliber rarely do since they'll be pumping out such massive amounts of chakra."

Kisame nodded and patted the sword back and forth in his hands.

"Will we make a move on the jinchuuriki?"

"I've already told you, no. There is something else going on here."

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Sakura sighed as she dragged an unconscious Karin back toward the main group. The girl had been admittedly little trouble, having virtually no formal training as a ninja. Her chakra sensing capacity and temper had been on par with Sakura's though, and the fight had escalated into an allout bitchfest.

Sakura felt around unhappily at a small, missing patch of her hair that had been torn out. She turned around and glared at the unconscious girl and tugged a little harder on the hair she had her by. If she had time to stop…

Her attention diverted to the scene of Kakashi and Suigetsu fighting. Kakashi wasn't really having much trouble. True, Suigetsu may have been the coming of the next Zabuza but unfortunately for him, he never saw his true potential realized. His training had not been completed and in all reality he just swung the sword wildly. Whereas Zabuza knew how to utilize the massive blade, Suigetsu didn't and it showed.

It showed badly.

Kakashi blocked another strike and slashed out at Suigetsu's head, the kunai going right through with a splash. He frowned unhappily and leapt back, catching sight of Sakura as she watched the fight unfold. He slashed the boy again and watched as the water splashed and then reformed.

Suddenly, an idea came to him.

"Sakura! Go get Gaara and Jiraiya-sama and tell them to come here!"

"Why?"

"I need a beaker!"

She puzzled at his words, but nodded and ran off. Kakashi turned back to Suigetsu who was staring at him with amused eyes.

"You've lost it haven't you? You should have had her help you because by the time she gets back, you'll be dead."

Kakashi gave the boy another eye smile and jumped back, making hand signs as he went.

"Actually, I'm just running distraction right now to keep you away from your teammates. In the desert, you're not much help at all. Fuuton: Daitoppa!"

The wind whipped at Suigetsu and he jammed Kubikiri into the sand to hold his place. Once the wind had died he yanked it free and charged Kakashi once again.

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Sakura came running up to the group and her eyes widened at the sight of a transformed Juugo, struggling against the bonds that Shikamaru, Gaara, and Chouji had him trapped in. He was screaming bloody murder that he would kill them all and Shikamaru was sweating from exertion.

"Now Tsunade-sama! Now!"

Tsunade leapt onto Chouji's giant hand and reared her fist back.

"Say goodnight!"

She slammed her fist into Juugo's face, making it jerk sideways. She stared in disbelief as he slowly turned back to her and grinned.

"I'm gonna kill you slowly bitch. Real slow."

She reared back again and kept slugging him over and over. Lee, seeing her begin to tire, leapt in and took over. No matter how much they hit him though, they couldn't knock him out. Neji suddenly thought of an idea and walked over to Gaara.

"Hinata-sama and I will take over. We just need you to provide us an opening."

Gaara kept concentrating and nodded.

"What do you need?"

Neji called Hinata over and stood before Gaara.

"We need you to make openings for us at these spots. Just call your sand away from him at these points and have Chouji relinquish his hold while Shikamaru retains his. Ino! Give Shikamaru a soldier pill!"

The blonde rushed to Shikamaru's side and popped a pill in his mouth. The results were instantaneous as Shikamaru's shadow widened slightly and he concentrated harder. Neji and Hinata began to tap Gaara on his body and he let the sand slide away from Juugo's body in those certain spots. The two Hyuugas walked to either side of Juugo, one in front, one in back and readied themselves. They spoke as one.

"You are in the field of our divination."

Gaara concentrated more and tightened his grip.

"Let go now Akimichi!"

Chouji jerked his hand back just in time as Hinata and Neji rushed forward and began to pound into Juugo's body at his points, the sand just enough out of the way for them to blast their chakra into his coils. The transformed Juugo slowly began to nod his head until he passed out and Shikamaru and Gaara dropped their jutsus.

Gaara turned to some Suna jounins and snapped his fingers.

"Bind him in the strongest chakra sapping chains we have and throw a few more on for good measure. Bind her in chakra sapping rope. Make sure both are blindfolded and gagged. I don't want to have to put up with either one's mouth."

The shinobi saluted and shunshined off. Sakura tapped Gaara on the shoulder and he turned with a quirked eyebrow.

"Yes Haruno? What is it?"

"Kakashi-sensei said he needs your help. He said he needs a beaker…"

Gaara blinked and nodded before rushing off towards where Kakashi was fighting. Sakura ran to Jiraiya and grabbed his shoulder.

"Can you still do fire jutsus?"

The old Toad Sage nodded his head.

"Come with me. Kakashi-sensei said he needed a beaker."

Jiraiya's curiousity piqued, he followed her to where Kakashi was fighting.

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When they arrived they found Gaara stoicly watching the Copy Ninja keep Suigetsu occupied as the frustrated young man desperately tried to hit Kakashi with his sword. Kakashi saw the two he needed standing to the side and hollered.

"I need a beaker!"

The two men stood puzzled at his words until Sakura snapped her fingers.

"Of course! Suigetsu can change into water and get away so he needs a container to put him in. Gaara-sama, make a large container with your sand and Jiraiya-sama, you bake it with a Katon jutsu. It'll turn it into glass."

The two nodded and Gaara formed the needed canister and Jiraiya baked it until it turned clear. They smiled at their handiwork and Sakura grabbed it in her hands, running toward the two combatants.

Kakashi saw Sakura coming and stopped Kubikiri with his kunai, smiling at Suigetsu.

"It seems our fun has come to an end. I still say you were no Zabuza though."

"What the hell are you talking about?"

As he finished speaking, Suigetsu realized to late the shadow plunging toward him on the ground and found himself trapped in a glass container, his sword on the outside. He slammed against the glass but found it wouldn't budge. It was too thick.

"Quick! Bake a plug before he escapes!"

Jiraiya and Gaara had already though of that however and the glass lid slammed shut over the hole while Suigetsu cursed them from inside. Kakashi wiped his brow and gave them an eye smile.

"Been a while since I've worked out in such hot weather. Now, let's find Naruto."

A resounding boom and spray of sand came from nearly a mile away and Jiraiya sighed.

"Shouldn't be too hard to find him. I'll get a toad to take this one back and we'll tell the others to meet us there."

The three nodded and took off while Jiriaya summoned a toad. As soon as it was off in the direction of the rest of the ninjas, he took off toward where Naruto undoubtedly was.

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Naruto spat out a glob of spit as Sasuke's fist sank into his gut. He had thought one seal would be enough, even for the curse seal, but he was mistaken. The damn thing just kept enhancing Sasuke's strength and speed. The only downside was that it kept draining him quickly of chakra since there was no longer an Orochimaru to draw from.

He rolled out of the way of a Chidori enhanced sword swipe and backflipped away a couple times to a safer vantange point.

"I guess one seal isn't enough Sasuke. I'll have to take another couple off."

Sasuke sneered and charged his sword again.

"What's the matter loser? Afraid of me already?"

"No. Just better to be safe than sorry."

Naruto swiped his hand over the other seal on his chest and the one on his right arm and the wind kicked up again as the resistance left his body. He glared at Sasuke and held his arms out to the side, parallel with the ground.

"I haven't just been learning jutsu Sasuke. I've been learning manipulation. Let me show you an invention of mine. Of course, no handseals so you can't copy it."

He nearly laughed at Sasuke's face and knit his eyebrows together with concentration.

"I can only do this when I drop three seals because there's usually too much resistance. Check it out."

His eyes grew harsh as the wind began to pick up to incredible speeds and the sand whipped around him, leaving cuts in his pants and on his arms. Naruto paid no heed as Sasuke brought his arms up to shield his face.

"Kamikaze."

The wind that had surrounded Naruto focused into a nonexistent wall and barreled toward Sasuke, kicking up the sand as it went. Naruto watched silently as it slammed into the raven-haired boy.

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Kisame's jaw dropped as he watched Itachi's brother get slammed by the huge wall of wind.

"Holy shit! Just think Itachi, that could have been one of us."

Itachi nodded and grinned slightly.

"Yes, it could have. Luckily, my foolish little brother volunteered to gain this information for us. It is not wise to rush into danger after all. This is the difference between the two of us."

Kisame chuckled and turned his attention back to the fight to see if Sasuke had survived.

"Remind me to send the kid a thank you letter for all the breezes he keeps giving me though. Almost makes me sad he has to die."

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The four Konoha ninja had come up behind where Sasuke was standing and had watched in awe as Naruto became surrounded by a wall of wind and were mortified as it barreled toward Sasuke and thus, them. Gaara threw up a hasty wall of sand and struggled to hold it as the wind buffeted his defense until it finally slowed.

He let it drop just as the rest of the Konoha ninja and Temari and Kankurou, as well as some high-ranking Suna nins, came charging up. Temari was nearly in a panic as she ran up to Gaara.

"Where the hell is Naruto? What the hell was that?"

Gaara quirked an eyebrow at his frantic sister and put his hand on his shoulder, calming her immediately.

"Naruto is over that dune and that blast of wind was him using a jutsu I believe."

Temari pushed him aside and clambered up the side of the dune, her eyes wide as she saw the damage.

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Naruto huffed slightly as he dropped his arms, looking out over the canyon he had just carved out of the desert sand. The sand still had not receded by Sasuke and Naruto was having Déjà vu of his fight at the Valley of the End. The scene was too eerily familiar and the hairs on the back of his neck were standing on end.

Sure enough, when the dust settled, there sat Sasuke on his hands and knees, his wings surrouding him. Naruto clucked his tongue disapprovingly as Sasuke stood up.

"Still relying on Orochimaru's power huh? You're pathetic."

Sasuke sneered, his canines slightly longer than normal and gave Naruto an odd smile as he flexed his claws.

"Bring it out dobe. Bring out the fox's power. I want to beat it again. I want to revel in the feeling that I've beaten a demon."

"Sorry, no fox for you. You'll just have to settle for me at my best."

"Your best isn't good enough."

Naruto frowned and bent over, sending chakra to his hands as he swiped at the seals on his legs.

"Do you know why the seals on my legs are bigger Sasuke? It's because they hold me back the most. Try to stay standing."

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Temari's eyes widened when she saw Naruto go for the seals on his legs and she ducked down quickly.

"Everyone down now! It's about to get bad!"

Tsunade blinked as they all ducked and asked why.

"Naruto's explained his resistance seals to me. He even gave me a couple on my arms to help in my wind training. Those ones on his legs are twice as big as the rest and therefore, twice as restrictive."

Jiraiya's eyes widened in understanding and he nodded.

"So when he releases those…"

Temari nodded and peeked back up over the dune.

"He doesn't really need Hiraishin. He couldn't do it anyway since it isn't his element and that tore him up inside, not being able to use his father's jutsu. But, he found a way around that. He took his father's resistance seals and…now he doesn't need the kunai and he doesn't need the seals."

She turned to face the rest of the group and grinned.

"Naruto might be an idiot sometimes and he might not have many jutsu, but that's because he doesn't need them. This may take a lot out of him because it's pure, physical speed, but he can move fast enough that it looks like he teleported. It's his way of honoring his father in the only way he can."

Lee's eyes widened and his smile grew.

"His speed must be as great as mine then when the gates are unlocked…"

She turned to look back just as Naruto swiped his hands across the seal.

"He can beat the Sharingan…"

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Sasuke watched with unbridled rage as the wind whipped around Naruto, swirling the sand and rising towards the heavens before suddenly dying and the sand rained back to the earth. He watched as Naruto slowly straightened himself back up and, instead of the red eyes of the Kyuubi like he had expected, he was met with the sparkling blues of one Uzumaki Naruto.

"Let's see the Sharingan keep up with this."

Sasuke only felt pain as Naruto battered him from all sides, his transformed body keeping up with the damage only slightly. In a rage, Sasuke roared and lightning erupted from his body, hitting Naruto and sending him plummeting back to the earth, while Sasuke floated back down and landed heavily, panting hard. Naruto rolled to his side and groaned.

"Damn you and your lighting jutsus. I hate those things."

Sasuke grinned and held his hands towards the heavens as the sky began to darken.

"Then you'll really hate this. Kirin!"

Naruto's jaw dropped as lightning formed in the sky and he could practically feel the electrical charge in the air. Without hesitation, he called thrust his hands upward just as Sasuke thrust his down and the lightning came crashing toward him.

Naruto uttered no words as he merely wanted to stop the attack coming, he could feel the wind as it whipped around him and collided with the lightning, the two elements battling for dominance. Sasuke and Naruto's faces were full of concentration as they battled for supremacy.

Naruto grit his teeth and dug deep inside himself, trying to quell the thought that he might need the fox for this. He could hear it in the back of his mind after all this time, trying to coerce him.

'No! I won't be swayed by you!'

With a guttural roar, he pushed more chakra into his attack and watched as the wall of wind bent the lightning and sent it screaming toward a wide-eyed Sasuke. The lightning hit the transformed youth and his mouth contorted into a soundless scream as his own jutsu was turned back on him.

Naruto fell to his knees, gasping for breath as a now normal Sasuke collapsed forward, smoking from the brunt of his own attack. Temari was by Naruto's side before he knew it, checking all over him.

"Are you all right?"

Naruto gave her a weary smile and nodded.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Do me a favor? Pack a couple extra changes of clothes in my bag. We might be in Konoha a while."

Temari sighed as he passed out and began to snore on the baking desert sand. Tsunade ran a diagnostic over him and smiled.

"He's just passed out. He's fine, except for the being an idiot part."

Temari giggled and looked over to the smoking form of Sasuke, who was being tended to by Sakura.

"And him?"

Sakura shouted out that Sasuke was still alive, but his pulse was weak. Tsunade sighed and stood up.

"Guess we'll have a few more guest going with us to Konoha. Gaara, I think we might have to put off leaving for a couple more days."

The Kazekage nodded and used his sand to pick up Naruto and his sister as he walked back toward Suna.

"Come. We'll discuss this in my chambers. Have someone get the other Hebi members."

Tsunade nodded and followed, smirking to herself. At least this little gift should bring the council around to her way of thinking…

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Naruto awoke to the feeling of something cold on his forehead and the pleasant sensation of someone running their fingers through his hair. He rolled his eyes upward to find Temari smiling at him.

"Hey you. You gave me quite a scare back there."

Naruto grinned and tried to sit up, but found it difficult to do. He looked around to find himself in his room. He and Temari were alone and she was only in her panties and her large t-shirt.

"What happened to everyone else?"

Temari yanked slightly on his hair.

"Everyone's fine. Team Hebi was captured and are being held as we speak. Sasuke is alive but you didn't hold back much on him did you? He barely had a heartbeat when Sakura began working on him."

"He didn't hold back on me."

"Very true."

She took his head off her lap and moved her legs, setting his head on his pillow, before pulling the covers up and laying down beside him, her right leg thrown over his and her arm around him.

"Temari…if your brothers see us like this."

She playfully bit his shoulder and snuggled up closer.

"I'm a big girl. I know what I'm doing. Now shut up and go to sleep. I know you're still tired."

Naruto let out a yawn and began to drift off again.

"What happens now?"

Temari looked up at him through half-lidded eyes and pecked his cheek.

"Gaara and Tsunade talked and we'll be going to Konoha as soon as you're able. We have a council to beat the shit out of…talk to…whatever…Go to sleep."

Naruto nodded and kissed the top of her head, drifting off to well deserved rest. It would only get more interesting from here…

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Itachi and Kisame walked along back to the Akatsuki base and Kisame nearly drank a stream dry when they got back to a wooded area. He looked down at Itachi and frowned.

"We still didn't find out who used that plant jutsu on us."

Itachi nodded his head.

"No, we didn't. But I have a good idea who it was."

"Care to share?"

"Not until my suspicion is confirmed."

Kisame sighed and boredly looked off to the side.

"That kid is good Itachi, damn good. We would have had trouble with him if we had just jumped in without knowing what he was capable of."

Itachi nodded again but remained silent.

"What do you think they'll do with your brother?"

Itachi grunted and his Sharingan activated briefly.

"I don't care."

**Let me know what you think. I closed on my house today, so I don't know when I'll update next. Hopefully I can get hi speed out where I'll be living, but that remains to be seen. The trip to Konoha happens next.**

**And please, stop by my new c2 and see what we have to offer. We pick through and sort out the fics to find only the ones with the best grammar, storyline, and all around goodness. All stories, or most, will be Naruto-centric and there is a six month cutoff date. If a fic doesn't update in six months, it's out of the c2 unless it's complete. Our staff is compromised of three of my fellow authors DarkHeroOrion, Paladeus, and MatrixExplosion and myself. We try to keep our standards high and we hope you do too.**

**Enjoy the rest of your reading you crazy kids...**


	18. Return to the Forest

And here's Chapter 18. The BIGGEST chapter I've ever written. Also, for those who wanted it, Temari and Naruto finally do the horizontal mambo in this chapter. I'm sorry about the delay, but I'm still trying. At least this update came on the heels of the other faster than the others have. Anyway, Readers, Reviewers, Enjoy...**I'm Moving On**_ by Hank Snow._

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**CHAPTER EIGHTEEN**

"I say kill him now and be done with it. The longer you let him live, the more he will struggle to destroy you all."

Tsunade sighed and cast weary eyes upon Gaara. The Kazekage had tried to impress upon her the importance of ridding the world of the youngest Uchiha ever since they had captured him. She knew it would be the best thing to do, but unlike the Kazekage, she had to think of what the Konoha council would want.

"Gaara, you know as well as I do that I can't just kill him. The Sharingan is a valuable weapon to the Village Hidden in the Leaves."

"And it's a weapon that hasn't been there for years if you don't count Kakashi. His crimes are many and his virtues few. Just kill him. I'll do it for you. Sabaku Kyuu. Sabaku Soso. He won't feel a thing. He'll be dead, I'll be happy, Naruto will have to worry about one less person wanting to kill him, and everybody wins."

"Gaara…"

The Kazekage put on a fierce face and his sand rose behind him. He was tired of arguing his point and not actually being heard. Jiraiya moved to stand beside Tsunade in case Gaara tried anything. The former jinchuuriki took a deep breath and closed his eyes.

"Tsunade, let us not talk as Kages and village leaders for the moment. Let us talk as normal human beings. Does the Uchiha deserve to die for his crimes?"

Tsunade bowed her head and closed her eyes.

"Yes."

"Does he deserve pity? Does he deserve to even make it back to Konoha alive?"

"No."

Gaara put on an exasperated face and glared at Tsunade.

"Then why in the seven Hells are you taking him back alive? Kill him now!"

"I can't! I can't just kill him! He has to stand trial!"

The redhead sat back in his chair and sighed while shaking his head.

"This is the difference between Konoha and the rest of the world. Criminals are enemies of the state and should be treated as such. When they break the law, they no longer have rights. When a murderer murders, he should be killed before he can kill again. When a traitor betrays, he shouldn't be let back in the country to stand trial so he can live another day to betray again. I stand firm in the belief that he should be killed."

Gaara stood and walked over to Tsunade. She tensed with every step he took and cringed when he put his hand on her shoulder. She looked up into his eyes and found his usually stoic face somewhat…troubled.

"I am sorry I ever put him into your custody Hokage-dono. I should have executed him while he was still in the custody of my ninjas. At least then, it would have been on my hands instead of yours."

"Gaara…"

He stopped her by raising his hand.

"What is done is done now I suppose. I'm retiring for the night Tsunade. I shall see you off tomorrow morning."

She nodded and watched as he left. She turned to Jiraiya as he helped her up and put an arm around her shoulder. She was grateful to him at times like these.

"He's right you know. We should have killed him on the spot. Letting him live like this is a huge mistake."

Jiraiya nodded and squeezed her a bit harder.

"I know. But unlike Suna, we do things differently in Konoha. Clans have a lot more say so and power. And sadly enough, the Uchiha clan has always been an important facet of Konoha. Even if they _are_ traitors."

Tsunade nodded and allowed Jiraiya to lead her away. They were almost back to their hotel room when she stopped him.

"Let's go to the dungeons. I want to say something to him."

Jiraiya was not fond of the idea, but tagged along anyway. He couldn't very well let her go alone.

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Uchiha Sasuke was feeling very indignant at the moment. Shackled and chained like a common criminal, a blindfold placed over his precious eyes and warded with seals put on by the great Toad Sannin Jiraiya himself, he was feeling very put out. He hated to feel powerless and yet, here he sat, totally under the control and at the mercy of his captors. His teammates, if you could so call them that, were in other sectors of the dungeon. He chuckled mirthlessly. It seemed that Gaara was not so big a fool as to put them all together.

He heard the sound of the guards shuffling and the bolts on the door being moved. Was he being moved already? How long had he been in here? Sitting in the darkness, one couldn't tell time. The shuffle of the feet got closer until he heard the crunch of the pebbles underfoot. He looked up (not that it mattered) and sneered at whoever was before him.

"I know you're there. Why don't you reveal yourself? Afraid I might get you?"

A snort was his answer and the sneer left his face, to be replaced by a frown.

"Boy, I've met bigger boogeymen than you in street gangs. Afraid? You're the one who should be afraid."

"Hmph. Jiraiya. What does a one-armed old has-been such as yourself want with me?"

"I want nothing from you except for you to shut your mouth and pay attention."

Sasuke had not been reprimanded many times in his life. Even Orochimaru did not keep him on too tight a leash. His surprise quickly turned to anger.

"Who the hell do you think you are? I…"

Jiraiya shut the boy's mouth by backhanding him to the ground and then lifting him by his collar.

"Shut your mouth! I know who I am and I know who you are. You're in a precarious position now Uchiha and if I were you, I'd do everything I could to prolong my life. With all those suppressing seals I have on you, all it would take is a twist of the neck and you'd be dead. Hell, after all the suffering you've caused my student, I'm half tempted…"

"Jiraiya…that's enough."

The Toad Sennin scoffed and stood upright, letting go of Sasuke's shirt in the process. The boy coughed a bit and pulled himself back into a sitting position.

"So, even the great and powerful Hokage sees fit to visit me. I'm honored."

Tsunade scowled and bent over at the waist, her hands on her hips.

"Don't patronize me you little punk. I came here to tell you that I _will_ do everything in my power to make sure you get the death penalty. It was pure luck that you survived that backlash from your attack. It should have fried your ass. You're lucky Sakura was able to patch you up as well as she did, although you'll have some scarring for life. Naruto came out without a scratch by the way."

"I don't care what that loser walked away with. I'll kill him all the same."

Tsunade clucked her tongue and stood upright again.

"See? That's why no one likes you kid. You make threats all the time and then wonder why you have no allies. You've just threatened to kill an ally of Konoha, in front of the Hokage no less. What kind of deal can you expect to strike to save your life?"

The smile on the raven-haired boy's face was sickening.

"I expect the council to give me a hero's welcome while Naruto gets exactly what he always has. Nothing. He'll be shunned while the people clamber for me to come back."

Tsunade sighed and shook her head as she motioned for Jiraiya to follow her. When she reached the door, she turned back and gave him some parting words.

"You'll soon find that things in Konoha have changed Sasuke. A few years can make all the difference in the public's perception on certain people."

Those words would bother him for quite some time.

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Temari groaned as the sun came in through the window and settled on her face. She was enjoying the warmth that Naruto gave off, especially since nights in the desert were so chilly. She nuzzled further into his neck and squinted her eyes, trying to block out the rays. It did no good since the sun refused to relinquish its gaze upon her.

With a sigh she sat up and reached across to the nightstand for her hairbands and quickly tied her hair into its usual four ponytailed state. She leaned back against the headboard and pulled the covers up over her knees as she watched Naruto sleep. It was relaxing listening to him snore softly and it never ceased to amaze her how peaceful he looked in the early morning.

She realized after a few minutes that today was the day they had to leave for Konoha and she gently shook his shoulder.

"Naruto, wake up. We have to get ready to leave soon."

He rolled over and pulled the covers up over his head.

"G'way. I don' wanna get up."

Temari giggled and shook his shoulder again. He would never be a morning person, of that she was sure.

"Naruto, come on. We have to go to Konoha remember?"

He sighed and rolled over, his blue eyes blinking up at her.

"Do we have to? Can't we just lay here together and maybe they'll forget we were supposed to go?"

"I doubt it. Now get up and get dressed. I have everything packed already but you have to make me breakfast."

She leaned down and pecked him on the lips before standing up and stretching, making sure he was watching as her shirt rode up over her buttocks. She grinned as his eyes fixated on the flesh peeking out of her panties and let the shirt fall back again.

"Maybe if you're a good boy on the trip I might let you see more when we get to Konoha. Now get up!"

He groaned and rolled out of bed, his bare feet hitting the floor. He stretched and she winced as she heard the bones popping back into place. He must have popped every bone in his body from the force of that jutsu he used. He flopped back onto the bed and huffed.

"This is gonna suck."

As she cinched the sash of her kimono, she watched as he swiped the seals one by one and felt the whip of the wind as he put the resistance seals back to use. A blast of air filled the room and whipped all his papers around as he sealed the ones on his legs again and she turned back to find him huffing and puffing on the bed.

"Damn. That hurts more each time I do it. Can you help me up?"

She grasped his hand and pulled him up, noticing the slight resistance he gave her. Naruto shook himself all over and stretched his limbs, getting used to the resistance the seals gave him again. When he was satisfied with his movement again, he grabbed her by the waist and pulled her in for a kiss.

Temari melted into the kiss and stood on her tiptoes while he held her. She was actually quite glad for their trip to Konoha. At least there, she would have a few hours a day alone with him…she hoped.

She whined when he broke the kiss and tried to renew it but he held her back. Her eyes opened and she glared at him.

"You're the one who said we had to go Temari-chan."

She stuck her bottom lip out and smacked his arm hard before leaving out the door.

"Ass. Hurry up and make me breakfast. I'm hungry."

Naruto snickered and followed behind her.

"As you wish, dear."

"I want pancakes. Blueberry. And bacon."

He sighed and trudged off to the kitchen.

"Yes dear."

**I want some bananas and peanut butter.**

Temari looked down at her feet and blinked.

"Where did you come from?"

**Your room. Since my spot on the Boss' bed was…occupied.**

"Fine. The rat wants bananas."

**Bimbo.**

"Flea farm."

"Can we not do this this morning guys?"

**No.**

"No."

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All the Konoha ninjas waited at the gates for their final two guests. Gaara waited beside Tsunade with his arms crossed, still supremely unhappy that the Uchiha was being taken back to Konoha. He had told Tsunade that the rest of his team would not be released into Konoha's hands and would stay in Suna. He was still unsure of their fate. More than likely they'd be killed and their bodies studied for any secrets they could gleen from them.

The group hushed as Naruto and Temari walked up, chatting merrily with each other, Sanzoku draped around Naruto's neck. Temari had insisted upon a big breakfast and had not eaten until Naruto sat down with her and as such, they were a tad late arriving to the gates. When Naruto saw the bound and blindfolded Sasuke in the back of a wagon tied to a post so he couldn't move.

Naruto scowled as he walked up to Tsunade, all signs of happiness gone.

"What is _he_ doing here?"

Tsunade sighed and turned to look at the slumped over Sasuke.

"He's going back to stand trial for his crimes Naruto."

The grimace did not leave his face as he walked past her to report to Gaara. She heard his mumble as he walked by though.

"…should have killed him when I had the chance…"

She sighed unhappily and made her way over to the rest of her ninjas. She didn't know if it would be a pleasant trip or not.

Naruto bowed to Gaara and smiled as he straightened up.

"I guess I'll be back sometime Gaara. I don't know how long this will take. Are you sure you're all right with Temari coming along with me?"

Gaara looked over Naruto's shoulder to where Temari was chatting with TenTen and sighed.

"She'd just follow you anyway against my orders. Besides, I can't very well let you go alone can I? You might decide not to come back. At least she'll drag you back even if you don't want to come home."

"I don't think my coming home will have to be a forced issue. I have a home to finish here after all. I'll see you soon Gaara."

Gaara took Naruto's offered hand and grasped it firmly.

"I know you will. And let no harm befall my sister Naruto or harm shall befall you."

Naruto quirked his eyebrow and smirked.

"Are you threatening me again, Kazekage-sama?"

Gaara grinned wickedly and narrowed his eyes.

"No, I'm promising you. Take care of her."

Naruto chuckled nervously and once Gaara let go of his hand, sprinted away toward where his girlfriend was. Gaara crossed his arms again and cut his eyes when he felt Kankurou walk up beside him.

"You tell him what would happen if Temari got hurt?"

"Yes."

"How'd he take it?"

"He ran and hid behind her."

Kankurou snickered and locked his gaze on the Uchiha in the wagon.

"He's going to be trouble you know. We shouldn't have turned him over to Konoha custody."

Gaara let out a deep breath and nodded.

"I know. But he is their rogue ninja, not ours. His fate is in their hands. I just hope to Kami that they do the right thing."

Kankurou watched as the group began to move out across the desert at a brisk pace, Lee pulling the wagon containing the prisoner.

"So do I."

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There had only been one incident on the trip back and Tsunade was grateful that Kami had answered her prayers of as few problems as possible. As the gates of Konoha came into view and the chuunins ran about to make everything presentable for her and her distinguished guests, she thought back to that first night they had stopped.

_With Lee pulling the wagon containing Sasuke they had made good time on their way back. They stopped in a small clearing just off the road and set up a perimeter. Team Ten would be on guard duty the first night and the other teams would rotate until they reached home. Sasuke required at least two people to watch him at all times and Lee and Neji had volunteered the first night. _

_Tsunade had been happy throughout the evening. Naruto was being pleasant and wasn't sulking about going back home. Her smile slipped a little when she remembered that he didn't consider Konoha his home anymore, but it came back when he called her Baa-chan and she gave a halfhearted swipe at him. As long as he was smiling, she was fine. _

_Jiraiya sat beside her and they watched the boys play a round of poker. She itched to play, but decided against it. She really didn't want to put her infamous bad luck up against Naruto's ungodly good luck. She and Jiraiya opted instead to chuckle as one by one the rest were cleaned out by a hapless Naruto while Temari cheered him on. _

_She was thankful to Hinata for the girl's excellent cooking, having been dreading the usual camp fare. Hinata didn't have much to work with but the things she could do with a little rice, vegetables, and meat was wondorous. She watched as TenTen cautiously fed Sasuke while Lee and Neji stood at his side, glaring down at the boy. When the Uchiha was done, TenTen scuttled away and back to more comfortable ground with the rest of the group. _

_Temari was chatting with Hinata that she simply had to let Naruto cook for her and Hinata nodded happily. She informed Temari that they would be staying with her so they could see what she had done with Naruto's parents' house. This exclamation delighted Temari since she had always wanted to know more about his parents._

_The camp hushed for a moment when Lee and Neji strapped metal cuffs to both theirs and Sasuke's wrists and stretched a chain between the cuffs so that Lee had Sasuke's right wrist bound to his left and Neji had his right wrist bound to Sasuke's left. Neji turned to the group and frowned._

"_We're taking him to relieve himself. We'll return shortly."_

_Tsunade nodded and Neji nodded back before the veins around his eyes bulged and he led the way off into the bushes. Tsunade quietly made her way to Shino and put her hand on his shoulder. Shino did not turn around, but she caught the quirk of his eyebrow._

"_Follow them. Make sure he doesn't try anything. If he begins to try to mold chakra, have your bugs drain him."_

_Shino nodded slightly and walked off into the shadows, disappearing quickly. Tsunade walked back to where Jiraiya was listening to Naruto and Iruka swap class stories and sat down beside him. The old hermit didn't look at her, instead speaking out the side of his mouth._

"_You sent Shino?"_

"_Yes. He is the most suited for this. He is ruthless and won't hesitate to take the Uchiha down if he tries anything."_

_Jiraiya nodded and smiled._

"_Let's hope he tries something then."_

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_Neji had led them nearly a quarter mile from camp and halted suddenly, Sasuke nearly bumping into him. They had refused to take the seals off his eyes, instead letting him stumble over the roots and potholes in the ground. With his Byakugan active, Neji had noticed Shino as soon as he appeared behind them but had said nothing, opting instead to keep walking as if nothing was awry._

_He kept his eyes on Sasuke as he and Lee stood just a little off to the side. He cursed his all seeing eyes as the Uchiha unzipped his pants and began to relieve himself, but kept on target. His eyes widened when he saw the subtle flip as Sasuke began to make the signs for a Katon jutsu and he ran to the left calling out to Lee as he did._

"_Lee! Run right!"_

_Lee grit his teeth and took off to the right. He didn't get far before the chain snapped him back around and he heard a loud popping noise followed by a scream._

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_The party fell to a hush when the scream was heard and remained silent for several minutes. Shino emerged from the forest behind Tsunade and whispered in her ear. She nodded and it wasn't soon after that Neji and Lee appeared, dragging a screaming Sasuke behind them._

_Tsunade looked over to Ino and thrust her head in the Uchiha's direction._

"_See why he's screaming and fix it."_

_Ino nodded her head and walked over to where Sasuke lay groaning, leaning down next to him. She looked up at Lee and Neji, who stood stonyfaced._

"_What happened?"_

_Lee was unapologetic in his response._

"_He tried to perform a jutsu and I jerked his arm out of socket."_

"_Oh. Is that all? We can fix that no problem. Hold him."_

_Lee held Sasuke and braced himself while Ino grabbed his dislocated arm._

"_All right, on the count of three. One…two…"_

_With a wrench, Ino put the arm back in place and winced when Sasuke screamed again. Once the pain dulled, he began to curse and yell. Ino moved away from him as Neji stepped forward again and hit a pressure point, knocking the boy out._

"_I remember now why I didn't like him. It was his mouth and attitude. He reminds me of me years ago…except without the foul mouth."_

_A chuckle went through the camp and they tied Sasuke back to the post in the wagon. Tsunade closed her eyes and barely caught the whisper of Naruto as he leaned toward Temari._

"_We should have killed him in Suna. I'm sorry I didn't stay awake to finish the job."_

That had been quite a night but there were no more incidents of note the rest of the trip. When Sasuke woke up he was given food and drink and Neji promptly knocked him out again. It wasn't healthy but Tsunade didn't really care about her prisoner's health at the moment.

She sighed as she approached the gate and saw the council ready to greet her. She had hoped that they would be able to sneak in unseen but that was apparently a pipe dream now. Turning her head slightly to see if Naruto had noticed, she winced at the overly noticeable frown marring both his and Temari's features. This could be ugly.

The party stopped outside the gates and the council stepped forward with Koharu and Homura at the head. The two were showing their age now very clearly. Koharu had more wrinkles and her jowls now looked like a bulldog's and Homura leaned heavily on a cane. They smiled at Tsunade and bowed as low as they could.

"Hokage-sama, welcome back. We hope your trip was eventful."

Tsunade followed decorum and bowed back before she spoke.

"More than you can imagine. Uzumaki Naruto returned with us to speak with the council and we brought back one of our missing nin that we picked up in Suna."

Koharu gasped and took a step forward.

"Which one did you return?"

Tsunade called out over her shoulder.

"Lee! Remove the bag."

Lee swiftly pulled the black hood from Sasuke's head and the crowd gasped when they saw the young Uchiha. A murmur went through the crowd and Tsunade frowned. Sasuke's return was not supposed to overshadow Naruto's and she turned to find his face like stone. It was nearly impossible to read him but she could tell that he did not enjoy being ignored, as was evidenced by his walking through the gate with his arm laced in Temari's. Tsunade watched him walk and called out.

"Naruto, where are you going?"

He stopped for a moment and turned his head.

"I'm going to my safe haven when I was a child."

Homura coughed into his hand and tapped his cane on the ground.

"Namikaze-san…"

Naruto rounded on him and was in front of him in a second.

"_Never_ say that name to me. You idiots took that name from me. My name is Uzumaki."

Homura frowned and leaned on his cane.

"Fine. Uzumaki-san then. We require your presence in the council room. Now."

Naruto turned his back on the older man and took Temari's arm again.

"I am not at the beck and call of this council. I am a Sunagakure ninja, my girlfriend and I have been on the road for days, and we are going to relax. You can call on us at a later date."

Homura tapped his cane on the ground again and a few chuunin stepped in front of Naruto with apologetic looks on their faces. One he did not recognize took a defensive stance and bowed his head.

"Uzumaki-san, please don't make us do this."

"THAT IS ENOUGH!"

The assembled ninjas turned to the voice to find an enraged Tsunade with an unamused group of ninjas behind her. The Hokage raised her hand and a group of ANBU landed beside her.

"Homura, we will have this meeting when I am ready. I am tired, as are my companions. The council is at my beck and call, not yours. I've let all of you have more say so than I should have for too long. ANBU, escort the Uchiha to the lowest levels of the dungeon and let no one in to see him that does not have the right authorization."

She smiled at Naruto and Temari and waved them on.

"You two enjoy yourselves. I'll send for you when I've arranged the meeting. Naruto, Temari, remember you'll be staying at the Namikaze mansion with Hinata. I'm sure you remember how to get there."

Naruto nodded and grinned at her before dragging Temari off. Tsunade turned around and waved the Konoha ninja away before facing the council with a frown.

"The rest of you are dismissed. I want to see the council in my office in an hour. We need to discuss your boundaries apparently."

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The two hadn't been walking very long when Sanzoku yawned and uncurled himself from Naruto's shoulders and hopped to the ground.

**I'll just go catch a ride with Hinata-san to her house. I'll meet you all there.**

Naruto nodded distractedly and Sanzoku leapt to Temari's shoulders, speaking in a hushed voice.

**Watch him carefully. Make sure no one starts anything. We can't afford an incident here.**

Temari nodded and watched as the red panda waddled off down a side street, before she heard the laughter of children and he came streaking back out and down another, with a gang of kids behind him. She laughed and let Naruto drag her off.

Temari watched Naruto carefully as they walked the streets to wherever they were going. It was eerie how the people treated him. In Suna, they could walk the streets and no one would bow or wave, even though they knew who they were. In Suna, Naruto and Temari were just a normal couple outside of missions and wanted to be treated like everyone else. The people of Suna respected that and even appreciated it. After all, no one likes a snob.

But the people of Konoha were treating Naruto like he was royalty and it was bothering him. She could tell because of the tightening of his arm around hers and the scowl that was ever deepening on his face. The only time he lightened up was when a young child came forward. He would smile and say a few kind words and send the child on its way. She asked him why he did that with children and he gave her a sad smile.

"Children should not pay for the sins of their parents."

She almost tackled him to the ground and kissed him right there. It was how he treated all children, anywhere and everywhere. It wasn't right to demonize a child because of something their parents did. It wasn't the kid's fault if their parents were bad people, it wasn't their fault if their parents did bad things, and it wasn't their blame to take if the parents wronged society.

That's what Suna had done to Gaara. That's what Konoha had done to Naruto. And neither would ever truly forgive their home village totally.

"Naruto, where are we going?"

He smiled at her and pulled her a little closer.

"We're going to my special place, a place I used to go when the weight of the world got too much for me."

"Let's get there quick then. These people are starting to creep me out."

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"It's beautiful. I can see why you came up here."

Naruto sighed and flopped down crosslegged on the ground, pulling Temari down into his lap as he wrapped his arms around her waist. The view of Konoha was dazzling as sunset washed over the village and gave the horizon and pink and purple glow. He rested his chin on her shoulder and sighed.

"The view isn't why I came up here. It was to talk to them."

"Them?"

"The Hokages."

Temari's mouth formed an 'o' and she nodded her head before sadly turning back to the front. Naruto smiled and kissed her neck, gaining a groan of contentment from her.

"You have to understand Temari-chan, I didn't have anyone for the first twelve years of my life. Even Gaara was never truly alone. Even if he hated everyone, he still had you guys. All I had were the Ichirakus, the Sandaime, and the Hokage monument."

She said nothing, just listening to him. Naruto never really talked much about his past and she couldn't blame him. But this would be good for both of them. She could support him and he could get things off his chest. When he squeezed her tighter, she laid her head on his shoulder.

"I would come up here and talk to the Hokages of the past about my troubles. I wouldn't get an answer, but every now and then, when I was really troubled, a warm wind would kick up and envelop me, almost like a hug. JiJi told me it was the past Hokages giving me comfort and I desperately believed that."

"It was almost like they could feel my pain. And I loved to come here when it rained and cry because no one could hear me…and the rain cascaded off the Hokage monument and it looked like they were crying with me. Especially my father…"

Temari nuzzled into him a bit more, extremely saddened by what he was telling her. His story was so similar to Gaara's…and yet so totally different.

"You have to understand that no one tried to kill me like they did Gaara. That would have meant that I was worthy of their attention. They ignored me instead. If I fell down when I was little and cried, they just walked around me. If I needed help in school, no one would teach me. If I was hungry, no one would sell food to me, except for the Ichirakus. That's why I grew to love ramen so much. It was a comfort to me."

He smiled and looked over the monument in the direction of his favorite restaurant.

"I don't think my being the container for the Kyuubi was any bother to them. It was more the fact that I inhaled food and they needed the money. If I didn't have enough to pay, they'd forward the bill to JiJi and he'd take care of it. To me, they were the nicest people in the world and it didn't matter who I was. They smiled at me."

Temari thought to herself that she would be sure to stop by and thank the Ichirakus for their kindness toward her boyfriend as a small smile graced her face.

"I know to most that JiJi didn't do much for me. But what little he did was a godsend. He gave me a roof over my head and clothing to wear. He made sure I didn't go hungry. And when he could, he stopped by to say hello. It wasn't much, but to me, who didn't know much kindness, it was heaven, those little short visits. All his attention was on me!"

Temari smiled as he stood both of them up and giggled when he brushed off the backside of her kimono. He was too considerate at times. Naruto eased an arm around her waist and walked them to the edge of the cliffs.

"But you know what Temari-chan? I wouldn't change my life at all. Not a thing."

She stared at him in disbelief and he pulled her around so that she was facing him.

"But…why?"

His answer was to lock his lips with hers and she melted into the kiss as their tongues danced around one another. A small tear escaped down her cheek and she wrapped her arms around him tighter. When they broke the kiss, she was flushed and panting slightly. He gave her a heartwarming smile and enveloped her in a hug.

"Because if I changed anything, I might not have met you Temari-chan. And then we wouldn't be together. You mean the world to me."

Temari's chest tightened and she leaned back so she could look into his eyes. The love for her that she found there was overwhelming and she buried her face in his chest.

"You're an idiot…but you're my idiot."

Naruto leaned her back and planted a kiss on her forehead before grinning and pulling her close again.

"Wanna try something fun I learned to do after I found out I was a wind type?"

Temari blinked and squeeked when his grip on her became ironclad. The grin on his face worried her.

"Naruto…what are you planning?"

His grin only widened as he kissed her again.

"Ever thought about flying Temari-chan?"

"What do you…"

Before she could finish what she was going to say, he flipped her into his arms bridal-style and crouched low, before leaping into the air. She felt the sensation of weightlessness as they reached his peak…and then the gutwrenching terror and thrill as they plummeted to earth.

"NARUTO! WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU THINKING?"

His reply was to laugh heartily and she made a note in the back of her mind that if she lived through this, she was going to kill him. No, she couldn't kill him. Then who would bake delicious desserts for her? She'd break his legs instead.

The ground was coming up fast and Temari closed her eyes, dreading the inevitable. Her eyes opened to find them only a hundred feet from the ground and she squealed, shutting them tightly again. Only a couple more seconds…

When nearly ten seconds went by without the jarring feeling of Naruto landing on his feet or them splattering on the ground, she felt a soft breeze waft by her face and slowly opened her eyes once again. The ground was right below her, only three inches from her nose, while a cushion of air distorted her vision. She blinked and turned her head to find Naruto grinning like an idiot.

"Hee hee, gotcha!"

Her response was to pull her right arm back and slug him in the face as hard as she could, sending him flying away into the bushes and she landed hard on her stomach. With the adrenaline still running through her system and high on the thrill she stalked off into the bushes and found him quickly.

With a growl she leapt onto his stomach, straddling him as he lay on the ground and grabbed the collar of his shirt, hoisting him up so that they were nose to nose.

"You idiot! You unmitigated fool! What would have happened if you hadn't cast that jutsu at the last second?"

"But Tema…"

"Shut up! I swear I'd kill you if you weren't such a thrill to be around."

"What do…"

She silenced him by crashing her lips to his, the thrill of the ride she'd been on still coursing through her and making her need him at the moment. There was a growing heat in her belly as she attacked his lips.

Naruto was surprised at first but quickly gave in and allowed her to do as she wished. He slowly ran his hands up and down her sides, making her shiver with delight and then pressed her to him while his hands rested right above her round bottom.

Temari pulled back, panting, slightly disappointed that he refused to touch her in naughty places. She reached up to pull her kimono apart and was stopped by Naruto's hands. She gave him a pleading look and whined piteously.

"No Temari. Not here."

Tears came to her eyes. She needed release so badly it _hurt_.

"But I _want_ it. I want it badly. I need it."

He wiped the tears away with his thumbs and drew her into a gentle kiss.

"Soon Temari-chan, soon. But not out in the woods."

She grabbed him by the collar again and shook him.

"Why not?"

He laughed and grabbed her hands, pulling her into a hug.

"Because I want our first time to be special."

She huffed and nuzzled into his chest, pouting the whole while.

"It would have been special. You'd be my first."

"And you'd be mine. Now let's go to where we'll be staying. I'll make you dinner and a cake."

She sniffed again and nodded as he helped her up. She noticed, however, that he did not say 'let's go home'. That brought a little happiness to her. He considered Suna home.

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Hinata was waiting for them as they walked through the door and greeted them cheerfully.

"Welcome home! I have dinner ready."

Naruto nodded but Temari caught the wince when Hinata said 'home'. She ignored it for the moment and looked around the room.

"This place is beautiful Hinata. What did you have to do to get it to look like this?"

"Just a little work. Everything you see was in the home already. The beautiful wooden wall panels, the hardwood floor, even the luxurious furniture. It was all here. I just had to do a little cleaning."

Temari nodded and grinned sheepishly when her stomach growled. Hinata giggled and motioned for them to follow her to the kitchen.

Naruto was surprised at the cleanliness of the place. It made him somewhat sad that this house that had belonged to him was in Konoha the whole time and he had never known of it until his final days. Hinata had done well in sprucing the place up.

Dinner was a simple affair. Hinata had insisted upon cooking and made a wonderful meal. Beef, chicken, fish, rice, and vegetables. Temari and Naruto had their fill and insisted on helping to clean up. When supper was finished and all the dishes put away, Hinata excused herself and said she was spending the night at the Hyuuga clanhouse. When asked why, she gave a small smile.

"I would imagine you two would like a little alone time. I'm sure you don't get much of it in Suna and I don't want to be a bother. I'll stay in the clan house until you leave."

The blondes started to protest but Hinata would hear none of it, insisting that she had to go. They watched as she walked away from the property and Naruto shut the door.

"Well, shall I show you around the house?"

Temari nodded her head and he led her down the hall. They stopped in the living room first and she admired the beauty of it, the simplicity and the elegance. The next stop was to look out the back door at the small training area and the rocks where the hotspring used to be. Hinata had told him that they simply had not had time to pipe any water into it yet, what with restoring the house itself, but that it was in the works.

The house was smaller than he remembered, but maybe that's because he was overwhelmed the first time he was there. His parents obviously had been frugal folks, not needing anything bigger than the small house. The bedrooms were all the same and they checked the vault to see if he had missed anything the last time. It was empty. Their final stop was the bathroom and Naruto admired the tile and the extra large tub when he heard the click of the door lock and turned to see Temari smiling at him sultrily.

"Why did you lock the door?"

"Because I'm going to take a bath…and you're taking one with me."

His throat tightened as she stepped toward him swinging her hips.

"But Temari-chan…"

"No. You stopped my fun earlier today. Now you're going to help wash me."

'And we'll see how long you can keep your hands off me when I'm presented to you.'

Naruto gulped and schucked his shirt, blushing as Temari turned around and looked over her shoulder.

"Undo my sash for me. I can't reach the bow."

With shaky hands he reached out and undid the bow slowly. Unbeknownst to him, Temari was trying to steady herself as well. Sure she was bold and she'd slept with him, but neither had seen the other totally nude before. She only hoped that she would be appealing to him. A gasp came from him as her kimono slid off her shoulders and to the floor, revealing her in all her glory. She subconsciously covered her breasts by crossing her arms when she heard him speak.

"You're beautiful."

She blushed and she just knew that her entire body was as red as a tomato. She slowly turned to face him and uncrossed her arms, trying to fight down her nervousness and get back some of her bravado.

"All right. You've seen me. Now drop your pants and help me prepare the bath."

Naruto didn't hear a word she said. He was too busy drinking in everything about the beauty in front of him. The soft patch of hair nestled between her legs, the way her breasts bounced slightly when she took a step, the roundness of her belly, the curve of her hips. His eyes wandered back up to her face and he blinked when he found her right in front of her. He blushed further when he felt the sensation of his pants sliding down his legs and his boxers following. Temari reached around and slapped him on the butt, making him jump slightly as she grinned.

"Get 'em off and help me make the bath. I'm not warning you again."

He nodded dumbly and followed the sight of her buttocks as she walked over to the tub and turned on the water before he walked to the cabinet and got out the soaps and some of Hinata's scented candles. He hoped this would appease her because he was nervous as hell.

Temari shook slightly as she ran the bathwater and it wasn't because of a chill in the air. She'd seen what he was packing and while he wasn't the biggest she'd ever heard of, he was no slouch either. She knew where this could lead to and she was hoping on that. After their makeout session earlier, she had had a dull fire in her belly all afternoon, like an itch that she couldn't scratch. She knew what she needed but she was nervous. What if she wasn't any good? What if he didn't like it? If she'd only known that the exact same thoughts were going through Naruto's head at the same time.

With the bathwater the right temperature, they climbed in and Naruto sat behind Temari as he washed her back. He could feel the tension rolling off both of them in waves and could feel her muscles tighten as he ran the washcloth over her bare back. He decided that maybe a massage would help both of them relax. He'd given her massages before and they seemed to relax both parties greatly. Without stopping his ministrations on her back, he reached around to the counter where he'd found a bottle of scented oil and popped the cap open with one hand.

Temari was trying to loosen herself up when she felt something cool land against her shoulders and the washcloth disappeared to be replaced by Naruto's bare hands. It took her a second to realize that he was massaging her and it felt really good. She rolled her head and sighed slightly, enjoying the familiar feeling.

"Naruto, what brought this on?"

"I just thought since we're both so nervous a massage might help us. It doesn't feel good?"

"No, it feels great. Mmmm, don't stop."

Temari leaned back into the feeling and felt herself begin to relax. Unfortunately, the more she relaxed, the more that heat in her belly came back until she couldn't help herself anymore. With halflidded eyes, she turned around in the tub and pressed herself against a surprised Naruto, smothering him with a kiss. The feeling of her nipples pressed against his chest and her warm tongue mashed against his was overloading his system.

In like fashion, Temari was having a bit of a problem herself. With the way she was leaned against him, his stiffness was rubbing against her bundle of nerves and every time she rocked, it sent shivers up her spine. She realized that if she didn't break the kiss soon, she was going to cum. With great reluctance she broke the kiss and the two faced each other, panting hard.

"Ok, my turn to wash your back. Turn around."

Naruto was glad to comply since he was close himself and it would help hide his throbbing member from Temari for the moment. When she began to scrub his back, he let out a sigh of relief and began to relax a little more. When he felt the cool globs of oil hit his shoulder he nearly melted as her talented fingers danced across his shoulders and upper back. He didn't feel her as she smirked and began to work her way down to his chest, so she could look over his shoulder.

Temari looked at his hardness with a sense of want and need. She couldn't remember wanting anything more in her life than she wanted Naruto at that moment. She rubbed her chest against his back a little harder and stifled a giggle when she felt him gasp and moan slightly. With a smile she crept further south and rubbed his stomach over his seal.

Naruto groaned when he felt her slender fingers rub the seal. It had always been a sensitive part of his body and he felt himself twitch as her hardened nipples pressed and rubbed along his back. If this kept up, they'd end up doing it for sure.His eyes snapped open when he felt those familiar digits wrap around his member and he looked to his right to see Temari's smirk.

"Temari-chan?"

"Shhh…you want this as much as I do. We've waited long enough to show each other our love."

"But are you sure about this?"

She captured his lips in a deep kiss and let go with a loud popping sound. She smiled when she felt him jerk a little in her hands and slowly slid up and down.

"I've never been more sure in all my life. Let's just have fun and relax."

She watched with fascination as he closed his eyes and moaned while she slid her hand up and down. She reached back and pulled the drain on the tub, letting the water out until it was just below his erection. Naruto didn't even notice when she slipped around in front of him, but he did notice when she licked the tip of his penis and his eyes sprang open as he looked down.

Temari looked up at him shyly but continued her pumping motion.

"I've…I've read about this in books and saw a movie once, so please…just try to enjoy and tell me if it feels good ok?"

Naruto was about to tell her that she didn't have to do that when Temari licked along the underside of his shaft before sliding her lips over the head and slowly slid downwards. Naruto grunted and fisted his hands in her hair, resisting the urge to thrust forward to get more of the wonderful feeling. Temari didn't have much talent but she made up for it in enthusiasm, licking and sucking all over him. It wasn't long before Naruto began to see spots in the corner of his vision and grabbed her hair a little more firmly.

"Temari-chan, I'm gonna…"

Her response was to grab onto his thighs and suck harder. Naruto grunted and spilled his seed into her mouth, breathing heavily as he looked down at Temari while she cleaned up any overspill.

"Temari-chan…"

Temari looked up as she stuck a finger in her mouth, cleaning up a little more when she found herself thrown back and landed in the water with a splash. She looked up over her stomach to find a redfaced Naruto between her legs.

"Now let me do you Temari-chan. Tell me if I'm doing it right ok?"

She was about to answer when he dove into her and her back arched up out of the water, her mouth open in a silent scream. It only took Naruto a few laps at her bundle of nerves before she came all over him, but he didn't know what had happened and kept going. The pressure that had been building up all day had compounded while she was sucking him and his insistent lapping sent her over the edge. She had no time to rest, however, as he continued licking and sucking and she began to tremble.

"Naruto…please…no more. I can't…"

He didn't hear her, too wrapped up in the heavenly scent and the fact that he was making her feel good. Temari writhed in blissful agony as more pressure built up in her loins as he nipped and sucked at her folds. With a few heavy, shaky pants, Temari screamed and grabbed his hair hard, shaking like a leaf in the wind.

Naruto had not been ready for the torrent that entered his mouth but gulped it down greedily anyway. It tasted distinctively of Temari and he could never get enough of her. He crawled up through her legs and held himself above her with his arms before kissing her deeply, the water making lapping noises against the side of the tub when they disturbed it.

Temari was caught off guard by the taste of her own juices, but relished the kiss nonetheless. There was only one more blockade and the two would be fullfledged lovers. She pushed Naruto away and smiled up at him.

"Let's go to the bedroom and continue this. I want to be comfortable when we make love."

Naruto nodded and drained the tub before helping an unsteady Temari to her feet and holding her while he toweled her off. She loved the feeling of the soft cloth against her now sensitive skin and squealed when he threw the towel aside and picked her up bridal-style.

They shared a passionate kiss, bumping into the walls on the way to the bedroom and collapsed onto the bed, still liplocked. Temari broke the kiss with a smacking sound and pushed him onto his back. He lay there confused as she straddled his waist.

"Temari-chan?"

She braced her hands against his stomach as she hovered over him. Her hands moved and glowed slightly before she placed them against her stomach and winced. She gave him a look of longing and spoke softly.

"I broke my hymen in training a long time ago, so we don't have to worry about that, but it's still supposed to hurt. I've read that the girl being on top gives her more control over the feeling so just lay there and let me get adjusted ok? You're pretty big so don't move."

He nodded and watched as she grabbed ahold of him with one hand and lowered herself gently. When she felt his head touch her lips she took a deep breath and began to sink. The splitting sensation was painful like they'd said and she bit her lip so hard she drew blood. She was thankful they'd done a little foreplay before hand as that had loosened her up quite a bit but it still wasn't enough. She gasped when a jolt of pain went through her and Naruto held her waist to keep her from going any lower.

"Does it hurt? Do you want to stop?"

"NO! I don't want to stop. The pain will go away. It's just there for the first few minutes. Just let me adjust slowly ok?"

He nodded and lay back again, wincing at the feeling of her tightness around him. He'd heard from Jiraiya that kunoichi especially have muscles that normal girls don't have and this was evidence of it. He heard her whimper as she slid lower still until he felt her skin come to rest on his, their hairs intermingling as she leaned over and kissed him again.

"It doesn't hurt so much now, but let me do all the work ok?"

Before he could reply she rose back off of him to the tip and then went back down, her pace ever increasing. After several moments of this, Naruto began to notice that her whimpers were replaced by pants of pleasure and her eyes were halflidded. He decided to be bold and when she came down he thrust upward. She squealed with delight and he sank back to the bed.

Temari looked down at him with lust filled eyes and growled.

"Again. Do it again."

He didn't need to be told twice and every time she came down he would go up. It wasn't long before they both were shaking with pleasure and Naruto sat up, wrapping his arms around her waist.

"Temari-chan, I'm gonna cum!"

"Me too! Me too! Ooooohhh!"

They both released themselves at the same time and she slumped against him as he pulled the covers over them. They kissed again as she sleepily nuzzled her cheek against his chest.

"That felt so good Naruto. I've needed that for so long."

"It was good for me too Temari-chan. The best ever. You're my goddess."

She giggled and nestled up against him, yawning cutely.

"I'm not up for more right now flatterer, so you'll have to wait for tomorrow."

He chuckled and kissed the top of her head, holding her tight against him.

"Of course sweetie. Whatever you say."

"I love you Naruto."

"I love you too Temari."

They fell asleep in contentment, no longer just boyfriend and girlfriend but now lovers of a while new degree. Young love is such a precious thing and when two people who truly love one another make love, the feeling is multiplied and compounded that much more.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Hinata had come into the house early the next morning and checked up on the lovebirds, wrinkling her nose at the smell and sighing as she saw the mess in the bathroom.

'I'm so glad I stayed at the clanhouse last night.'

She went about cleaning up the bathroom and then went downstairs to make breakfast.

Naruto woke up when he smelled bacon and looked down at the naked girl nestled into his side, smiling as he shook her awake.

"Temari, wake up. Hinata's cooking breakfast."

She sleepily wrapped her arms around him tighter and smiled in her sleep, speaking with a sleepy slur.

"If you want to try anal, we'll do it later. I don't have any lotion right now Naruto-kun."

He blushed and shook her harder, trying not to think about what her dream might be. She yawned and rubbed her eyes as she sat up. She stretched and he tried not to tackle her when her perky breasts bounced up and down.

"Mmmm, something smells good. Good morning honey."

"Morning to you too sweetie. Sleep well?"

"Best I've ever slept. Must've been the teddy bear I was hugging."

"I doubt that had anything to do with it. Come on and get dressed. Hinata's cooking breakfast."

"Can we get a quickie in?"

"No."

"You suck."

"Yeah, but you're better at it."

He barely dodged the pillow thrown at him.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

They got dressed quickly and padded to the kitchen where Hinata stood in an apron.

"Good morning you two. Did you sleep well?"

They nodded and she doled out a helping of oatmeal to them with bananas and nuts sprinkled in. The three chatted amicably until a knock was heard outside the door. Hinata answered it and took the letter from the messenger, closing the door behind her. She silently handed the letter to Naruto. He ripped it open and read quickly.

It was a summons to the council's chambers and he was to come immediately. He frowned and turned to Temari.

"What's it say?"

"It's a summons from the council. It says I am to come immediately and alone."

She frowned and he smiled at her.

"What? You didn't think I'd listen to them did you? You're coming with me."

She shot him a disbelieving glance and snatched the letter up, reading it quickly.

"But Naruto…it clearly states…"

"That I'm to come alone, yada yada yada. I'm not a Konoha ninja so I ain't doing jack squat they tell me to do. Now let's get decked out, full dress as ninjas of Sunagakure. We have a meeting to attend."

Temari smiled and nodded her head and Hinata watched as the two went back to prepare.

'Only back for a day and already causing trouble. It's like you never left Naruto-kun.'

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The council all looked up when the doors to their chamber were thrown open and two people walked in. They were quite a sight.

Temari was dressed in her finest black battle kimono, her headband around her neck, and her battle fan fastened securely in place. The scowl on her face screamed that she was not to be trifled with and several in the council room gulped at the fierce expression.

But it was the other blonde who intrigued them.

Naruto stood in the doorway in his beige pants and black button down shirt with a mesh, longsleeved undershirt on underneath. His black sandals had been shined to perfection and he was proudly wearing his Suna chuunin vest. His headband was tied to his right arm, while his hair hung limply. It was not his clothes that worried the council members though, it was the expression of pure disdain on his face that looked so out of place.

Perhaps they had made a mistake in calling him here. But it was too late for regrets.

Naruto and Temari strode to the spot before Tsunade and both bowed deeply. Tsunade smiled and nodded her head before turning to Homura.

"The floor is yours Homura-san. I hope you know what you're doing."

Homura frowned and stood up, leaning against his cane.

"Thank you Hokage-sama. Uzumaki Naruto. You were to come here alone."

Naruto frowned and stood with his back a little straighter.

"I brought a representative from Suna with me. She will listent to these proceedings and give me counsel if I need it."

"So you are saying you are incapable of independent thought?"

Naruto growled and fisted his hands.

"If this council would like to continue to have an audience with me, then it had best damn well watch its mouth! I didn't come to Konoha to be insulted. I have a class back home to teach and other duties that I must fulfill. I don't want to be here in the first place so say what you have to say and be done with it!"

Homura scowled and nodded his head. Tsunade had informed them ahead of time that they held no power over Naruto any longer and that if he so wanted, he could walk out of these proceedings. With a sigh and a nod, Temari was given a seat next to Naruto and all was quiet.

"Very well. Let this meeting come to order. The purpose here is to speak with Uzumaki Naruto about his status as a Konoha ninja and his duties as the son of a Hokage."

**And there you have it. The longest chapter I've ever written for any of my stories. Let me know what you think and look for the next chapter of The Melt next. Have fun guys!**


	19. An offer he can't possibly refuse

And here's Chapter 19. Sorry for the wait but I had to think hard for this one. Hope you like it. Readers, Reviewers, Thank You...**Business as Usual**_ by The Eagles._

**CHAPTER NINETEEN**

"Could you repeat that? I believe I had something crazy in my ear."

Homura sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose. He could tell this wasn't going to go well.

"We wish to talk to you about your status as a shinobi of Konoha as well as your duties as the son of a Hokage. You have rights and privileges…"

Naruto narrowed his eyes and leaned back in his chair.

"…that I don't want. I'm no longer a Konoha ninja, so there is no 'status' that you speak of. As far as my lineage…"

He gave them a smile and laced his fingers behind his head as he looked at the ceiling.

"…I'm an orphan, a parentless child. I never knew who my parents were. We thought we knew at one point, but it was a decision of this council that the conclusion we came to could not be right. Therefore, I've given up all searches and have decided to just use the name given me by the Sandaime Hokage."

Homura rose from his seat and rested his hands on the table, leaning forward.

"That was a mistake! A terrible, grievious error on our part! We are willing to make amends to right the wrongs of the past."

Naruto locked eyes with Homura and the elderly man gulped silently. Those eyes were not kind. The blonde spoke slowly and with a low voice.

"There are so many sins of the past that not all can be totally forgiven nor bought off, councilman. I suggest you let someone else speak before I get up and leave."

Homura huffed and sat down in defeat. Koharu stood next, trying her grandmotherly charm.

"Naruto-san, surely you can't begrudge us everything that was done to you. You have to understand extenuating circumstances…"

Temari snorted and Koharu turned her attention to the blonde girl.

"Something you would like to add, young lady?"

Temari suddenly felt very self-conscious but cleared her throat to speak anyway.

"My village was just as bad as Konoha when it came to the treatment of my brother. The only difference is that my father tried to have Gaara killed on multiple occasions. But there was still resentment and fear, anger and mistrust, when he became Kazekage. And there is still some form of it in the older crowd today. The big difference is that we never denied the heritage of Gaara."

Koharu narrowed her eyes at the girl.

"Are you implying that we willingly denied the heritage of this young man?"

Temari turned her chin up in defiance.

"Can you deny the charge?"

She reached over and grabbed Naruto's face, framing it in her hands as she turned his head in all directions.

"Look at him! He has the body structure and hairstyle of his father and the facial structure of his mother! He's an amalgamation between the two. How could you not see it?"

She leveled a glare at the entire council.

"The reason is…you didn't want to, because that would have meant acknowledging him as someone of importance."

Naruto fidgeted and Temari cut her eyes to look at him. He blinked and gave her a sly grin.

"You can let go of my face now, dear."

Temari blushed slightly and pulled her hands away slowly as she turned forward in her chair again.

"Sorry."

"Don't worry about it."

Koharu looked upon the scene the two had made, a small smile on her face. She had never seen the boy so…at ease with another person. She decided to take the grandmotherly approach again.

"You must care for him quite a bit to stand up to a foreign council like that. That takes bravery. I remember being that in love at one time…"

Homura snorted from his seat and Koharu glared down at him, hushing him up. She turned back to the two blondes with a smile again.

"What you said is true, young lady. We did deny his heritage for the longest time and that is quite possibly one of our most terrible mistakes. We drove away a son of Konoha in our ignorance. But we wish to make amends now. We wish to fix our mistakes. Will you not let us try?"

Naruto tapped his index fingers on his crossed arms and sighed heavily. Koharu was a master at using her age and grandmotherly act to get what she wanted. Not many could say no to her when she made a request. But most weren't him…

"You were all there on the night of my birth. Why didn't any of you help me? Why put me in an orphanage? Why deny me a small measure of happiness? Why make me be alone?"

Koharu's eyes grew saddened and she suddenly looked and felt her age.

"Sarutobi knew what your life was going to be like. He may have been an idealistic fool, but he was also a realist on some points. He knew that if the world knew of your true heritage, then they would come running to either kill or kidnap you. You're the last of the Namikazes and the Uzumakis, and while you may deny your heritage on one side, you cannot deny that their both clans' blood flows through your veins."

She sat back down in her chair gingerly and leaned her head on her hands.

"There wasn't much we could do. The villagers all knew who you were, even if they convinced themselves differently. It was hard to miss you. No one else has the blinding hair color of Minato or the exuberance of Kushina. It was too hard to see you and be reminded of who and what we had lost. I'm sorry, but it's the truth."

Naruto just stared at the elderly woman with a bored expression on his face. He was not going to give in to whatever they wanted.

"Anything else you have to say?"

Koharu, seeing she had made little to no ground, shook her head and waved her hand.

"No. There's nothing else. Someone else can speak if they like."

Naruto looked around to each council member and found that none were willing to speak up. He smirked and patted Temari on her leg.

"Well, if you have nothing else to say, then I'll just…"

"I'd like to know about your new abilities."

Naruto froze halfway out of his seat and met the eyes of Aburame Shibi. The sunglasses-clad man just stared back impassively. Naruto scowled and flopped back into his seat.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

Shibi pushed his sunglasses further up his nose and cocked his head slightly.

"My son has informed me that you have gained certain…abilities…that could be beneficial to Suna _and_ her allies. I just wish to know what you are capable of."

Naruto's brow furrowed and he vowed revenge on Shino for his big mouth…although he was sure that all of his friends had told their parents about his feats and the entire village knew by now.

'_Oh well. It was bound to come out sooner or later.'_

"What do you wish to know?"

Inoichi spoke up, now quite intrigued.

"Ino spoke to me last night about something you called 'the green'? What is that?"

Naruto closed his eyes and groaned loudly. Temari reached over and squeezed his arm for comfort. Normally it would calm him down, but he was too irritated at the moment. He had to remind himself that he represented Sunagakure in this situation and he couldn't afford _not_ to be diplomatic. He was already riding the border for rudeness and had he been anyone else, they would have tossed him out on his ear.

He stood from his seat and walked to the large, plate-glass window. He pointed to a patch of dirt in the main pathway of the market district, one where grass had not grown in years due to the amount of traffic.

"See that patch of dirt?"

The council members all stood and looked at where he was pointing. Naruto closed his eyes and felt the source flow through him as he directed it on what to do. The councilmembers' eyes all grew wide as the street erupted into chaos when fruit trees of all types burst from the ground, sending merchants and shoppers scurrying for cover. Naruto opened his eyes again and smirked.

"That's a small sample of what I can do with the 'green'."

He heard several whisper that it was Mokuton and shook his head in a negative.

"It's not Mokuton. It's something else entirely."

Nara Shikaku, his interest now piqued, focused his entire attention upon Naruto.

"If it isn't Mokuton, then what is it? There aren't any records I'm aware of that mention someone just being able to draw on such a power without having Senju blood in them."

Naruto just continued to look out the window as several people cautiously approached the trees. He noticed, with some dissatisfaction, that there were several extremely ragged looking people that were upon the trees in a second, picking them clean.

"It was…a gift, you could say. No…it's more like a responsibility that I now shoulder. Just one more in my life. It started out with me delving into some scrolls I found and ended with me being the guardian of this power. That's all I can tell you."

Shikaku scowled and started to say something, when he caught the stern look Tsunade was giving him. He sighed and muttered under his breath as he returned to his seat. The man simply hated not knowing all the pieces of a puzzle when one was presented to him. Tsunade motioned for everyone to return to their seats while Naruto remained standing at the window, still watching the people below.

"Naruto, we need to get this going again. Return to your seat please."

He sighed and crossed the floor, plopping down beside Temari again. He gave her a weary smile, promising to himself to make this up to her later tonight with a night on the town. Casting a bored look around the room, he offered himself up for more inquiry. Tsume, surprisingly, was the one who spoke up.

"That red panda that you had draped around your neck when you entered the village…where is it and what is its purpose? Is it a summon or a familiar?"

Naruto cursed mentally and shook his head. It seemed that almost all of his secrets would be divulged here. He gave a start suddenly and looked around the room.

"Temari, where the hell _is_ Sanzoku? He didn't come in with us."

She merely shrugged and crossed her legs again.

"I dunno. That rat doesn't do anything that could be considered normal. He's not very far off, that's for sure. Want me to call him?"

"Yeah. He seems to respond quickly when you bait him."

Temari grinned and rose from her seat, walking across the room to the door while the council watched with interest. She cracked the door and poked her head out.

"SANZOKU! GET YOUR FURRY ASS IN HERE!"

The council all winced at the volume of her voice and several quirked their eyebrows until they heard the voice of the summon.

**Keep it down, you psycho bitch! I was trying to take a nap!**

She glanced down the hallway and saw him on one of the benches. Giving him a smirk as he waddled up, she cracked the door more to allow him inside.

"About time you showed up. Where the hell have you been, fleabait?"

**Waiting for you to finish your little soiree. I hate meetings.**

The council all leaned forward over their table to watch as the red panda waddled into the room and climbed the back of Naruto's chair to rest on his shoulder. Tsume smiled as he wound himself around Naruto's shoulders and yawned loudly. It reminded her of Akamaru when Kiba was younger…

"Sanzoku, was it? Might I ask how Naruto came in possession of your contract? I've never heard of a raccoon summon."

Sanzoku lazily looked up and blinked before yawning again.

**The raccoons wanted him, so we contacted him. Not like he had a choice in the matter. It was like Jiraiya with the toads. There is a purpose to him helping us and vice versa. It's an arrangement that benefits both sides.**

Tsume grinned and nodded. She could understand the 'you scratch my ears, I'll scratch your's arrangement.

"How are you able to stay in our realm though? I was under the understanding that summons could only stay as long as their chakra remained."

**I performed a blood ceremony of sorts under the supervision of Tsubasa-sama, the Raccoon King, so that I could remain with Naruto and guide him. It doesn't hurt that he rarely needs our help in battle, although I'm always happy to help.**

Hiashi focused his eyes on the summon and tried to find any deception.

"Would you harm Konoha?"

**Only if Konoha tried to harm Naruto or me. I don't take kindly to deception or such things. I only put up with Temari because the boss likes her…and she's not a bad chick besides.**

Temari crossed her arms in a huff and looked away as she mumbled.

"Love you too, you overgrown plushie."

Sanzoku was growing weary of all the seemingly mindless questions and propped his head on top of Naruto's, yawning again while he nestled into the bristly blonde plumage.

**Is that all you need of me, councilwoman? I see no point to these questions.**

Tsume frowned and nodded her head. She had just been curious. Tsunade, seeing that this was merely dissolving into a grilling of what Naruto could and could not do, rose to her feet.

"If there are no other questions or anything of the sort, I'd like to call this meeting to a close. We have accomplished nothing."

Homura slowly rose to his feet and locked eyes with Naruto.

"I just have a few more things to say and then they can go if no one else has anything to add."

Naruto stared with bored eyes, resisting the urge to yawn as Sanzoku snored into his ear. Homura leaned against the desk and sighed heavily.

"We messed up, Naruto. We really did. There were so many different and better ways we could have handled your situation, but the sad truth is we didn't. If I could go back, I'd fix it. But I can't. Do you still deny your blood relation to your father and mother?"

Naruto nodded his head solemnly and Homura groaned to himself.

"You wish to stay in Sunagakure? What of your parents' house and land? What of their bank holdings? What about their history? Do you wish to leave all that behind?"

Naruto could see the man trying to subtly guilt trip him again and remained steadfast.

"Why should those things matter to me so late in life when they were denied to me back when I needed them? I know what I need to know and that is enough. I owe no allegiance to Konoha anymore beyond what our alliance with you dictates. I only agreed to this meeting because my Kage said that it would probably benefit me, but all we've done is beat around the bush."

Homura looked to Koharu as she stood, her bones creaking wearily.

"What about your dream to be Hokage, Naruto? Did you not promise Sarutobi that one day you would take his position?"

Naruto narrowed his eyes slightly and mentally thanked Temari when she placed her hand on his arm and squeezed slightly. He didn't really know what he would have said if she hadn't been there as a calming presence.

"That's a low blow, councilwoman. Yes, I promised JiJi that I'd take his hat_ from him_. I couldn't do that when he…passed on. Some dreams just weren't meant to happen. Even I realize that. I have other dreams now."

Koharu looked at him sadly and put her hands behind her back.

"Is there nothing we can do to convince you to come home? Nothing at all?"

Naruto looked at Temari and smiled as he laced his fingers with hers. She smiled back and he squeezed her hand.

"Suna is my home now. I have everything there that I could ever want. You couldn't offer me enough of anything to come back to Konoha now. Is there anything else?"

The council all shared looks and shook their heads. They had nothing else if he just couldn't be convinced. They couldn't force him or that would nullify the treaty with Suna…and they knew Gaara would act against them immediately, if Temari didn't kill them all first. Before anyone could move, Tsunade called their attention to her.

"Since the council is gathered, I have one last portion of business to call to attention. Uchiha Sasuke."

Everyone, including Naruto and Temari, took their seats again. Tsunade looked around the room with hard eyes. You could almost cut the tension with a knife…

"Uchiha Sasuke is one of our most recognized criminals. I stopped you all from leaving because I want to determine his sentence as soon as possible."

Naruto ground his teeth, but kept his mouth shut. As unfortunate as it was, he had no say anymore in Konoha business, a double-edged sword in this case. It was a privilege to even sit in on this at the moment. He and Temari would just have to keep quiet. A quick glance at his girlfriend found her in a similar state of distaste.

Tsunade wasted no time in going for her verdict.

"I say we should execute him. He has been nothing but a thorn in our side since he left, and even before then he was bad news. All in favor?"

All but Homura, Koharu, and surprisingly, Hiashi raised their hands in favor of execution. Naruto expected it of the two elders, but Hiashi? Tsunade was apparently of the same mind.

"Care to explain yourself, Hiashi?

The Hyuuga head nodded and stood from his seat.

"Everyone knows of the animosity between the Hyuuga and the Uchiha. Sadly enough, every one of them is either dead or has gone rouge. But Konoha simply cannot lose that power if it can help it."

Shikaku snorted and lazily leaned his head against his closed fist.

"Oh, I dunno. Seems we've done pretty well without them for some time now."

Hiashi glared at the man, who only looked back boredly.

"While it is true that we have not had any true Uchiha here, it can be argued that Hatake Kakashi's Sharingan is one of the most valuable assets we have. He is constantly bringing in new jutsus and forms to share with his fellow ninjas. This is invaluable in keeping ahead of the other villages. The Sharingan is a valuable commodity."

Akimichi Chouza grunted and leaned back in his seat. The normally easy-going man was suddenly the center of attention.

"What about loyalty being a commodity? If I remember correctly, that boy would have sold his soul to the devil for a fucking Twinky if it would have gained him power to kill Itachi. He's tried several times and each time his bid has failed. He's a traitor and traitors don't get special consideration, no matter who they are. If you treat one special, then you have to give them all that option."

Everyone around the table nodded in agreement and Homura leapt to Hiashi's defense.

"But what of the powers of the Sharingan? If we were to take samples from Sasuke and selectively breed willing women with his DNA, we could have Sharingan wielders who _are_ loyal to the village. There are ways to go about this."

Tsunade was mortified that he had even dared mention that. That was something Danzo would have gone for, had the old bastard not passed on of a…heartattack. Yes, a simple, dignified heartattack…

"I can't believe you suggested that, Homura. Impregnating women to get those eyes? That's ludicrous. We might never even see them come to maturity, since there are special situations that activate the eyes. And what of the famed 'Uchiha Madness'? No, we won't do that."

Koharu remained seated and spoke quietly.

"What of the curse seal? It could have tampered with his mind and that could be the reason he left."

Naruto could no longer keep his mouth shut.

"You're grasping for straws now. The fact of the matter is that Orochimaru could have laid cookies that said 'Power for free, this way' on the ground and Sasuke would have followed willingly. He was always unstable."

Homura glared at Naruto and set his jaw.

"I'll thank you to keep your mouth shut here, Uzumaki. You don't really have a say in Konoha matters anymore, seeing as you're a shinobi of _Suna_ after all. Be glad we even tolerate you here."

Naruto narrowed his eyes and rose from his chair, thoroughly sick of being cajoled to and then talked down to like he was five.

"Listen here, you old goat. That man in prison right now is one of the most unstable, dangerous people alive. He deserves to be executed for all his crimes against Konoha _and_ her allies. He tried to invade Sunagakure! He should have got the death sentence there and his head mailed back to you here! It was only dumb luck that saved him when we fought."

Hiashi snapped his head in Naruto's direction.

"You mean to tell me you _tried_ to kill him when you two fought?"

Naruto gave the Hyuuga an incredulous stare, as if the man had grown two heads.

"Hell yeah! He was trying to kill _me_. He's just lucky the feedback from his Raiton jutsu didn't fry his ass. I overloaded my Fuuton jutsu as much as possible to overcome his."

Hiashi gave a short laugh, which startled everyone in the room.

"Not willing to take a beating to make a point anymore, Uzumaki? I must say I'm impressed. I didn't think you liked to kill."

"I don't. But I like dying less. I have too much to accomplish to let someone like him take me out."

Hiashi nodded and tucked his hands inside his robes.

"Tell me, why do you think he deserves the death penalty?"

Naruto scoffed and gave Hiashi a hard look.

"_You _tell me why he doesn't deserve it."

The head of the Hyuuga clan sat for a moment before nodding his head and turning to Tsunade.

"I would like to change my vote to death. We need to send a message to our missing ninja abroad and those who would become them that we will not tolerate such endeavors. Uchiha Sasuke will be our prime example."

Tsunade nodded and turned to the two eldest on the council.

"It's just you two left. We need a unanimous vote for the death penalty. Tell us why you don't think he should be executed."

Koharu bowed her head and stood, looking out over the council.

"I believe it to be a valuable waste of resources. The Sharingan has long been a contingency of Konoha and it should remain so."

Naruto snorted.

"Even when they're a den of traitors and murderers?"

Koharu glared at him from her seat.

"You were asked to stay quiet, Uzumaki-san. Do not have us remove you and Temari-san from these preceedings."

Tsunade slammed her hand onto the desk.

"As the one who Sasuke attacked I believe he has every right to sit in on this meeting, if for no other reason than he is the one who brought him down so we could even entertain the _thought_ of trying him. Don't mistake him for a bystander in all this."

Homura fidgeted in his seat for a moment before making his thoughts known.

"Hokage-sama, I believe that your close proximity to Uzumaki-san has made you somewhat…lenient…toward him and his opinions. Perhaps if he were removed from the room we could discuss things in a more civil manner."

Tsunade laced her fingers and rested her chin upon them as she gazed about the room.

"My relationship with Naruto is not in question here. Nor are my issues with this village's need to put kekkei genkais on a pedestal above others. We are here to decide whether or not Uchiha Sasuke should be put to death. You two are the only thing saving him at the moment. Prove to us that he shouldn't be put executed."

"The Sharingan…"

"…Is inconsequential. It has not been in this village for years now. The Sharingan is not a factor in this currently. If that is all your requirements for him to live, then he is already at death's door. Other arguments?"

Koharu and Homura whispered amongst themselves for the moment and decided to turn the tables on the others.

"Convince us instead that he deserves to die."

Tsunade smirked. Their desperate ploy would not work. Perhaps when they heard the list of his crimes…

Shikaku, Chouza, Tsume, and Hiashi all stood, letting Shikaku speak first.

"When Sasuke first turned from Konoha and went to Orochimaru, our children followed him. They were nearly killed trying to retrieve him. They fought with opponents far better trained, the bodyguard of Orochimaru himself, and came out on top, but not without nearly dying."

"My son drained his body of all its nutrients and almost died to hold back one of Orochimaru's guards, just to retrieve one unworthy genin."

"My son was willing to commit suicide to kill one of Orochimaru's guards, just to retrieve one unworthy genin."

"My nephew almost laid down his life to ensure that one of Orochimaru's guards would not join the fight with the others, all for one insignificant genin."

"My son fought a battle of wits with a girl who could control the oni themselves and sought to draw out his soul until Temari-san came to help him. All in the name of _Konoha_. _Not_ for the sake of power."

Tsunade nodded her head to the four and they sat down. She turned to the two elders and gave them a questioning look.

"Is that enough to assuage you?"

Homura sighed heavily and closed his eyes.

"They went on your orders, as shinobi of Konoha. Death is a reality in our profession. They were to retrieve Uchiha Sasuke and failed."

"Tell me, councilman, what is the price for betraying one's country?"

Homura turned to Naruto, surprised by the question, but gave a textbook answer.

"The price for traitorous actions against one's country is death."

Naruto raised his chin slightly, his eyebrows raised in question.

"What then, councilman, have we all been arguing about?"

The room went silent and all heads hung in silent introspection. Koharu's quiet voice broke through like a rock through glass.

"Death."

Homura let out a slow deep breath and nodded his head.

"Death."

Tsunade let out a sigh of relief and sat back heavily in her chair.

"Death."

The rest of the council members murmured the word in turn, fully realizing the implications it might have. Tsunade declared the decision final and the members all filed out of the room one by one. Naruto and Temari stayed behind, their heads bowed low.

"Jiraiya, you can come out now."

A shimmer was seen by the wall and the Toad Sage emerged from his spot by the door, his face grim. He crossed the room to where Tsunade stood and nodded to her.

"This won't go over well, you know. The civilians will more than likely protest."

Tsunade gave him a grim grin.

"Then they can protest all they want. I am Hokage and what I say goes. They have no say in military matters. Besides that, he serves to die. Betrayal should not be taken lightly. Everyone thinks that Konoha will welcome back its missing ninjas with open arms like nothing ever happened. No…this is the price of betrayal. Death."

Jiraiya nodded and turned to where Naruto stood with Sanzoku around his neck and his arm around Temari's waist. Tsunade smiled at the couple.

"I'm sorry that this was all a waste of your time. I hope you plan to stay for a while though."

Naruto smiled and nodded his head.

"Yeah. We were kind of hoping you'd let us stay for a while, kind of like a vacation. There are a lot of things I'd like to do while I'm here."

"Everything is on my bill, you two. Enjoy yourselves. Now get out of here. I have an execution to plan. Jiraiya, you stay."

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As soon as they were outside, Temari kissed Naruto on the cheek and leaned into his side.

"You did great in there, babe. Gaara would be proud of you."

Naruto grunted, still staring forward. Temari frowned and laced her fingers in his.

"Are you ok with all of this?"

She felt and heard him sigh as they searched for a restaurant.

"That council meeting was a complete waste of time as far as I was concerned. When it came to getting a dangerous criminal off the streets and out of everyone's lives though…I think we had a very good day."

She cut her eyes to the side and frowned slightly.

"Naruto, are you ok?"

He stopped in the street and turned his head to face her.

"I don't know. Sasuke deserves to die. I would have killed him in the heat of battle if I had only had a little more power. But an execution…I dunno. It just doesn't seem sporting."

Temari chuckled and pulled him along again, in search of sustenance.

"All the more reason for us to leave before they execute him. I don't want it on your conscience. Now come on, I'm starving."

She walked a couple of steps and then stopped.

"I just remembered something. Where the hell is that staff of yours?"

Naruto grinned and held his hand out over the ground. His staff erupted from the earth and into his waiting hand. He thrust it back into the ground and it seemed to dry up and wilt away.

"It goes wherever I go. Don't want to give away all my secrets."

Temari just sighed as he gave her a cheeky grin before taking his arm in hers.

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Despite Naruto's protests, Temari eventually convinced him to take her to a decent restaurant, although he had to admit once they'd got there that the food was excellent. After an enjoyable meal, filled with laughter and loving looks, they stepped outside and planned their next move.

"Well, we've already seen the Hokage monument…and the bottom of it."

A quick slap on the arm from Temari made him grin.

"I guess we could go visit Iruka, unless you want to go do your own thing. I'm sure you know where all the sights are here by now, Miss Ambassador."

Temari looked around to see what section of the district they were in.

"I was kind of hoping to go shopping, especially since Hokage-sama is paying for everything. I can meet back up with you at your parents' house later. Or at the hotsprings. A nice dip would be lovely."

Naruto chuckled and pecked her on the lips before turning to walk away, throwing a look over his shoulder.

"I'm going to visit Iruka at the academy. I'll see you tonight."

Temari smiled wistfully as she watched him walk away before entering the door of a clothing shop.

'_Oh, you'll see me tonight, alright.'_

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Naruto reached up and rubbed Sanzoku's ears as he walked the streets, trying to ignore the adulation and happy smiles the people threw his way. In his younger years, he imagined that this is what he wanted but after seeing it…it only sickened him. The knowledge of his birth was the only thing that made these people even look at him. The only ones he smiled at were the children, too young to know what his name meant. To them, he was just someone their parents said was near-royalty and that they should respect him.

Naruto couldn't begrudge them for that. They were, after all, only children.

Sanzoku leaned into his hand and cracked an eye open, keeping his voice low so no one could hear them speak.

**That was quite a shindig back there. I'd never have imagined they would put the Uchiha to death.**

"Nor would I. I would have imagined he would have gotten life in prison or some bullshit like that."

Sanzoku nodded his head.

**How do **_**you**_** feel about it though? Does it feel like its finished? That it's over?**

Naruto sighed and turned a corner, aiming straight for the academy. He could see the small arch announcing its presence in the distance.

"It won't be over until he's dead and in the ground or burnt to a crisp. I have a bad feeling about all this. He should be killed immediately, not made a public spectacle. Sure, a public execution looks better, but there are too many things that could go wrong."

**Such as?**

"His little flunkies could break out and save him. He might have other allies who would come to his rescue. He might somehow overpower the seals put on him by Jiraiya. There's lots of shit that could happen."

Sanzoku puffed himself up and smacked Naruto with his tail.

**You're being pessimistic and worrying over nothing. Konoha has agreed to execute him and Tsunade seems like the kind of person who would go through with it no matter how unpopular a decision it is. **

Naruto smiled as they walked through the arch and into the schoolyard.

"I guess you're right. We won't be around to see the execution anyway. They usually have at least a one-month reprieve to allow the condemened to sweat it out. Mental torture at its worst, but it's no less than what he deserves. Let's see what Iruka's up to."

As Naruto wandered down the halls of the school, his memories of the place flooded back to him. They weren't very pleasant, but he did have some fond ones. Ditching class with the guys, torturing poor Iruka on a daily basis, skipping class to paint the monument…yeah, he had some fond memories. He found his old classroom and heard Iruka giving a lecture on the other side.

He hated to crash the man's class but the kids could probably use the distraction. He smiled wistfully as he thought of his students back home. They probably missed him by now. Most teachers didn't teach like he did after all.

He slid the door open and Iruka froze immediately upon hearing the sound, years of being a ninja sharpening his senses. Unless it was an emergency that door shouldn't be opened…he turned, expecting the worst, and blinked when he saw…

"Naruto? What are you doing here?"

Naruto grinned and stepped inside.

"Just came to see how you're doing, sensei. Are you _still_ giving those boring lectures? I thought we discussed this back in Suna."

Iruka grinned back, but caught one of his students waving his hand frantically out of the corner of his eye.

"Iruka-sensei! Is that really Namikaze-sama?"

Naruto frowned and Iruka winced. He knew Naruto hated to be called Namikaze, as it left him feeling very bitter toward Konoha. Naruto's frown was swept away immediately and he grinned at the cadet. Can't help it that the child is ignorant of those facts after all.

"My name is Uzumaki Naruto, not Namikaze. You've been misinformed, young man. I'm a chuunin teacher in Sunagakure so the 'sama' isn't needed either. You can just call me Naruto-san, ok?"

The boy cocked his head to the side in confusion. He seemed to speak for the whole class.

"But I thought your name was Namikaze. My dad says that your dad was the Yondaime Hokage, so that would make you a Namikaze, right?"

Naruto's smile slipped a little.

"My name is a touchy subject, boy. I'd just suggest you do as I say and call me Naruto-san, alright?"

The boy nodded and Naruto smiled at the kids again.

"So, what has Iruka been teaching you all? Boring history and theory no doubt."

Iruka coughed into his hand and sent a mock glare at Naruto, who just shrugged him off.

"I'll have you know that those are vital parts of a ninjas development. Not all of us can be powerhouses like you, Naruto. Just because you're on par with most Kage doesn't mean the rest of us are."

The kids' eyes went wide and demands permeated the air.

_How powerful are you? What can you do? Show us a move!_

Naruto put his hands on his hips and gave them all a hard glare.

"Be still."

The kids were immediately quiet and Iruka gave him an appraising look. There weren't many who could command such a presence or respect from the children. Perhaps he _should_ look into some of Naruto's teaching practices.

Naruto looked around the class slowly, locking eyes with each student.

"You should all respect your sensei better. Iruka is a good teacher. He taught me after all and look where I am today. Don't speak out of turn and don't disrespect your sensei."

"Naruto, you did plenty of that when you were a student of mine."

The blonde groaned in exasperation, causing the kids to giggle as he turned to Iruka.

"Man, now look what you did. I had them ready to kiss your ass for eternity and you had to go and ruin it."

Iruka waved off his former student's glare and the two smiled at each other before Naruto turned back to the class.

"Now, raise your hand and I'll call on you to ask a question. You first."

Iruka watched as Naruto mystified the class with his answers.

'_Yep, definitely going to have to take up some of his teaching style.'_

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Temari had just come out of the clothes shop with a…surprise…for Naruto, when she found herself surrounded by four girls of varying hair color. The blonde sighed and closed her eyes.

"Alright, what do you want?"

Ino grinned and flipped her ponytail back over her shoulder.

"Why Temari, I'm hurt that you would think we would want anything from you. We just happened to be walking by and saw you and thought we'd have a friendly chat. Just a friendly little chat."

Temari snorted and shifted her bags to a more comfortable position. She knew where this was headed.

"I'm sure. If you'll excuse me, I need to go put these bags away."

Sakura smiled and held her hand out.

"We're free the rest of the day. Let us help you carry them. Hinata invited us back to her house for tea anyway."

Temari cringed on the inside but nodded her head, silently swearing to kill Hinata when the chance presented itself. She knew somehow that this was the quiet girl's fault. TenTen tapped her on the shoulder and she turned to the girl with a blank stare.

"Temari, how are things between you and Naruto? Are they _hard_ or is it all easygoing?"

Sakura and Ino giggled until Temari threw them a glare. She was not having fun at the moment. Hinata saw her uneasiness and cleared her throat.

"Maybe Temari would like to just be alone. She and Naruto don't have much alone time in Suna I believe."

Temari threw the girl an appreciative look until the other three shook their heads.

"Nonsense. They have plenty of time while they're here. Besides, Temari needs to spend a little more time amongst us girls. She's always coming and going, she never has time to relax."

"Actually, I was planning on going to the hotsprings with Naruto this evening."

She rolled her eyes when the four girls sighed dreamily. Sakura clasped her hands together.

"That sounds so romantic. I wish I could have a guy sweep me off my feet like that."

They didn't catch Temari's smirk.

'_You could have if you'd just opened your eyes, dumbass.'_

Ino snapped her fingers and began to push Temari forward.

"I have a great idea! Let's go to the spa and have a girl's day. You said you're meeting Naruto this evening, correct? Come on, we have so many things to ask you…I mean, share with you."

Temari sighed and let herself be dragged along. At least she would get a free spa treatment out of the deal. She couldn't remember the last time she'd pampered herself.

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Temari leaned back against the wall of the sauna with her eyes closed. All in all, it hadn't been a bad evening. She had a couple hours before she was supposed to meet Naruto and the girls hadn't grilled her too bad. She cracked an eye open slowly and cursed herself when the eyes of all four girls met her's. Sakura sidled up alongside her and propped her feet up on a stool.

"So, Temari…how is it having Naruto as a boyfriend?"

"It's good. He treats me like a princess most of the time. I have to remind him that I'm not royalty."

Ino rested her elbows on her knees and cupped her chin in her hands.

"How's the sex?"

Temari spluttered and stared wide-eyed at the girl while the other three glared. TenTen smacked the girl in the head, making Ino glare at her.

"Ino! You didn't have to be so abrupt about it!"

"What? I wanna know! It's not a hard question."

She turned back to Temari with a grin.

"Well?"

The other three, having had the question on their minds, leaned forward as Temari groaned in defeat. At least it was girl-talk. If any of them ever told anyone…she'd chop them into such little pieces that no one would ever find them.

"Ok, fine. It's great, ok? It's awesome."

Ino squealed in delight and plopped down in front of her on a stool.

"Details, details! How big is he?"

Temari jerked her head back and crossed her arms under her bosom.

"I'm not telling you that!"

TenTen gave her a pouting face and poked her bottom lip out.

"Aw, come on, pretty please? We'll keep it a secret, we swear. Wait, he's not…tiny, is he?"

Temari scoffed in indignation.

"No, he is _not_ tiny. He's…perfect for me."

Sakura grinned, seeing a little prodding was needed.

"So he's tiny."

"He's eight inches, ok! You happy now?"

TenTen and Ino whistled appreciatively while Sakura giggled. Hinata just poked her fingers together and blushed, thinking about what it might have been like if she and Naruto had gotten together. Temari huffed and sat back against the wall.

"Anything else you'd like to know?"

TenTen grinned slyly and slowly brought her head around to face Temari.

"Yeah. Ever tried anything kinky? Like roleplay?"

Temari blanched. She didn't like where this conversation was turning.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Naruto yawned as he and a frazzled Sanzoku left the classroom, waving goodbye to Iruka. He scratched the poor red panda's ears, trying to comfort him. The kids had been all over him when they discovered he could talk and all the girls insisted on hugging him like a toy. Sanzoku was not pleased but Naruto forbid him from biting or crushing any of the kids.

He had stayed to talk to Iruka after class and had enjoyed himself immensely. Sanzoku had lounged on the desk, trying to rest up from his day of being fondled. He didn't even put up any resistance when Naruto lifted him from the desk and draped him around his neck like a scarf.

Naruto had swung back by his parents' house to get his robe and a towel; totally perplexed by the appraising and coy look Hinata gave him. He chalked it up to a weird girl thing. He certainly got enough weird looks from the girls in Suna.

He smiled at the receptionist and paid his way in, asking if she'd seen Temari. The girl informed him that she was down the hall and to the left and that she had hired out one of their private baths for their use. Naruto thanked her and went on his way. Sanzoku hopped down and curled up on the bench outside the door, saying he would keep watch. Naruto knew he was just going to take a nap.

He stepped inside the bath and was met by Temari standing at the edge wearing a long robe. He smiled at her and she gave him a smirk as she undid the sash on her robe, flinging it open. His jaws dropped when he saw what she was wearing.

Temari thanked TenTen silently as Naruto looked her up and down. The girl had forced her to go back to the shop and but something a little more…risqué than the nightgown she'd bought. She let the robe drop and turned around, bending over and looking over her shoulder with a mischievious glint in her eye.

"Oh doctor, I need some help taking my temperature and not just any thermometer will do."

Naruto grinned and kicked the door shut behind him as he began to shed his own clothing. Tonight was promising to be very fun. He waggled his eyebrows and whistled.

"Well, helloooooo Nurse!"

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Tsunade waved the guards aside as she and Jiraiya, followed by the entire council made their way to Sasuke's cell. They found him chained to the wall, his shirt in tatters, his head hung low. He looked up when they saw him enter and he chuckled.

"So, come to free me, eh? I told you, Hokage-_sama_, your council couldn't waste my talents or my birthright."

They all remained silent as he stood to his feet and shook his head.

"Tell Ibiki that he's getting old as well. It felt like someone's grandmother was trying to work me over instead of an interrogator."

Tsunade smirked, making a mental note to tell Ibiki what was said. The man had a month to work after all.

"I'll pass that along to him. But we're not here to release you. We're here to tell you what your sentence will be."

Sasuke's smirk died down slightly.

"What then? Community service? A slap on the wrist? Or confine me to my clan house for a few months before putting me back on light duty missions?"

Tsunade snorted. She was going to enjoy his shock immensely.

"Your sentence is death. In one month, we will publicly execute you by beheading."

He stood still for a moment before snarling and lurching against the chains.

"You can't do this! I'm an Uchiha, one of the last! You can't kill me! The Uchiha can't die!"

Tsunade rushed forward, planting her fist in the boy's stomach. He spit out blood and fell to his knees. Tsunade caught him on the way down and whispered in his ear.

"We warned you in Suna that things had changed here. Your name means nothing now. Your blood means nothing. Your eyes mean nothing. You betrayed us all for paltry power and now you'll know the price of betrayal. You have one month to think on your sins and try to find some peace with the Kami."

She rose from her kneeling position and walked past the council. They turned one by one and followed her back out. Sasuke finally found his voice and screamed after them.

"You can't do this! I haven't killed Itachi yet! My vengeance is not complete!"

Jiraiya stopped at the door, his one hand resting on the frame. He turned back to look at Sasuke, who still had fire burning in his eyes.

"Now you know how it is to be at the mercy of someone on a whim. I believe you told my student one time that you spared him on a whim and that you would take his life on a whim. His life meant nothing to you. Know now how worthless your life is to the rest of us."

Jiraiya walked out the door without a glance back. If he had, he would have seen the maniacal glint in Sasuke's eyes.

'_They'll come for me. Someone will come for me. My vengeance is not complete. I cannot die until he is gone from this world!'_

The guards shivered when they heard the insane laughter coming from the cell. What kind of man could laugh when he'd been told he was going to die?

**Ta Da! Just on a note, Naruto had to be diplomatic while in Konoha to a certain extent. He's mellowed out a lot from being a teacher and knows that he has to look good for Sunagakure. Don't want to make your boss look bad. Look for more insanity next chapter. Let me know what you think.**


	20. Executions are boring

And here's Chapter 20. Slightly shorter than my norm, but not by much. Setting up for something I hope you all enjoy. Readers, Reviewers, Thank You...**Meltdown**_ by ACDC._

**CHAPTER TWENTY**

Temari groaned as the light filtered in through the curtains. She threw her arm over her eyes to block out the offending sunbeams but it was to no avail. She had to admit to herself that sleep was no longer possible.

That didn't mean she had to get out of bed though and leave Naruto's warmth.

The blonde rolled over to her side and wrapped her arms around Naruto, sighing happily into his back. This is what she had always wanted in a relationship. Total happiness, total comfortability, and most importantly, unconditional love. The only thing she wanted more than this was a family of her own…but that was all in good time.

Being that close to someone so warm was making her sleepy again and it didn't take long for her to yawn and her eyes to begin to droop. Still, she held on, fighting to stay awake. Her thoughts became more and more sporadic the longer she fought off sleep.

For some reason, lying there with Naruto like that brought her back to days when she was younger and her mother was still alive. Her mother had been so kind, so caring. She had doted on Temari and then Kankurou when he was born, calling them her two precious little angels. She began to think then of how her mother had changed when she was pregnant with Gaara and turned her thoughts away from the woman.

In all reality, she didn't have many loving thoughts of her except for the first two years of her life. When they implanted Shukaku into Gaara while he was still in the womb, her whole demeanor had changed.

Perhaps the Shukaku had been speaking to her as well…

Temari shuddered at the thoughts and squeaked when Naruto suddenly rolled over and latched onto her, pulling her close. She rubbed her cheek against his chest and closed her eyes again.

She could envision herself having a life with this man. She could be happy, truly happy. She would be loved and doted on. She would want for nothing. And of course…she'd get the occasional dessert.

As her eyes grew too heavy to stay open, she sighed happily and kissed Naruto before drifting off again.

What more could a girl want?

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Naruto had been awake from the time that Temari had wrapped her hands around his waist from behind. He simply didn't want to disturb such a peaceful moment and when he rolled over and embraced her, it was simply because he had to have her in his arms.

Sappy? Yes. But such is love.

As Temari's breathing became more rhythmic, his thoughts wandered to what had happened while they'd been here. He had denied his heritage, basically spit in the face of a governing body several times, and listened as his former best friend was sentenced to death. There was just one thing bothering him.

That one month reprieve.

He frowned and rubbed his chin on Temari's soft, frizzled hair. She twitched her nose and squeezed him tighter. He smiled down at her and kissed the top of her head.

Tender moments like these never lasted in the ninja world.

That one month reprieve bothered him mightily though. It simply wasn't good business. Sasuke was too dangerous and too valuable to too many people. What if the Sound heard about it? Surely they'd come running…and what would Itachi think? He had to have left Sasuke alive for some reason…

Naruto shook his head and lay back against the pillow again, letting Temari lie on top of him. He had never thought it possible to be so comfortable with someone, yet here he lay with someone who loved him.

He chuckled into the cool morning air. Love. It had at one time seemed so far away from him. Now he had love in his arms and he didn't intend to ever let go.

He looked out the window, the curtains slightly apart so he could see Konoha. He'd never imagined that he would ever see his birthplace in such a light. It wasn't home anymore. Home is where the heart is…and his heart lay with Sunagakure.

And most importantly, with Temari.

A yawn from below made him look down and into the teal eyes of his blonde goddess.

"You're thinking too hard again, Naruto. Your face is all scrunched up with concentration."

She giggled when he glared at her and leaned up to plant a kiss on his lips. What she had meant to be the first kiss of the day ended up being a marathon of who could hold their breath the longest.

Both won…and came up for air at the same time.

She sighed happily and watched as he sat up in bed, leaning against the headboard. Her head found it's way to his lap and she looked up at him.

"I don't suppose there's a way we could just stay here forever?"

He shook his head sadly.

"Nope, sorry. But I'll tell you what. I'll promise to make every morning like this if I can. How about that?"

She yawned and stretched her arms over her head, smirking as she pinched his side and made him jump.

"I think we need to get up. I don't want to, but I'm getting hungry and I don't think Hinata's coming over to cook. So that leaves you. I want an omelet, with bacon on the side."

Naruto sighed and stood up pulling on his pants and searching around for his shirt.

"Anything else, your majesty?"

"Yeah, fresh squeezed orange juice."

He frowned and turned to face her while buttoning up his pants.

"And where am I going to get it? I'm not walking to the market."

"…you can make orange trees, you dummy."

Naruto grinned sheepishly and rubbed the back of his head.

"Oh…yeah. I forgot about that."

He strode over to the window and opened it. Temari watched him curiously while she tied her hair back into the ponytails. Naruto stretched his hand out and a gardenia bush grew up the side of the house. He smiled and plucked four blooms and commanded it to shrink back again.

Temari blushed as he sat down beside her and pushed the stems into her ponytails. He leaned back and observed her for a moment before smiling broadly and pecking her on the cheek before walking out the door.

"The final detail on the masterpiece, my dear. You've now gone from drop-dead gorgeous to incomparably beautiful. I'll have breakfast ready soon."

Temari was bright red by the time he left out of the room. She shook her head quickly to rid herself of the blood rush and stood up, stretching out the kinks. Her back popped and she groaned. That felt delicious. The Wind Mistress crossed the room and stood in front of the antique mirror, admiring her body.

She turned this way and that, observing the small scars that littered her. She would never be unmarred like Naruto, but she knew he appreciated the small blemishes. Every one had a story. She smirked to herself. That was one thing Naruto would never have with his natural healing ability. She traced one particular one along her thigh. It was the one she'd gotten when she'd began her resistance training with Naruto.

The smell of bacon wafted up from the kitchen and she took a whiff, letting out a happy sigh. She needed to get dressed now. She usually wore the black battle kimono, but she wasn't looking to battle anyone today and Naruto was going casual as well with his slacks and button down shirt. She wanted comfort above all.

Naruto watched the omellete with care, making sure not to burn it. He didn't really need a grumpy Temari because he'd burned her breakfast. A clone of his was picking oranges off a tree he'd raised and another was churning them into juice. The soft padding of feet alerted him as Hinata walked into the kitchen. Naruto smiled at her and waved.

"Good morning, Hinata-chan. Would you like an omelet?"

The Hyuuga heiress smiled and shook her head.

"No, that's alright. I had a light breakfast before I came over."

"Oh no, I insist. You must taste his cooking, Hinata-san."

Both turned to find Temari standing in the doorway in a blue kimono the color of Naruto's eyes, with trim the color of hers. She'd had it tailor-made back in Suna before they came to Konoha and she was glad she had done it now. It accentuated her beautifully. Hinata smiled at her and bowed slightly.

"Temari-san, good morning. You look lovely with those flowers in your hair. And thank you, but I don't want to be a burden."

Temari smiled and waved her hand dismissively while taking a seat at the table, motioning for Hinata to sit. She did think she looked better with the flowers too. Plus, Naruto liked it…

"Thank you for the compliment. And nonsense. He's more than willing and he's not a bad cook to boot."

The clones walked in from outside, one carrying a pitcher of juice; the other carrying a bowl of oranges.

"All done, boss. Anywhere in particular you want this stuff?"

Naruto shook his head and the clones winked as they sat down their burdens before kissing Temari on her cheeks and dispelling themselves. Hinata covered her mouth with her hand as Temari turned bright red and Naruto chuckled when the memory of what his clones had done popped into his mind. He brought their breakfast over to the table, one in each hand and another balanced on his head. Temari glared at him and stood up, taking the plate off his head.

"Stop showing off and sit down."

Hinata just watched the two with an amused smile as they bickered back and forth. Her dreamy sigh made both blondes look in her direction.

"What's the matter, Hinata-chan?"

Hinata propped her chin on her hand and looked from one to the other.

"I wish I had someone like the two of you. Even when you argue it's apparent how you feel for each other."

Temari grinned and took another sip of orange juice.

"He's not all that great. I'd trade him for a candy bar some days."

Hinata cut her eyes to Temari and smirked. It was so unlike the girl, yet mischief yields for no one.

"Is today one of those days?"

Temari smirked back and latched her arm around Naruto's.

"Not a chance."

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They'd left the house after chatting with Hinata for a little while longer and made their way to Naruto's old training ground. He sniffed the air, taking in the scents of the forest and smiled.

"This is what I want for my property. I want this scent all the time."

Temari took a whiff and scrunched her nose.

"I'd rather have gardenias outside the window for me to smell. Or roses. Something colorful. There's too many shades of green here, not enough variety."

Naruto gave her a funny look and quirked his eyebrow.

"So you can smell them? Why would you want to smell them?"

Temari gave him a hurt look.

"You mean…you don't want me living with you?"

Naruto panicked and went into damage control. Temari smirked in her mind, but kept up her heartbroken façade.

'_You're entirely too easy to tease, Naruto.'_

"But…but Temari-chan! I just thought…"

Temari cooked up some crocodile tears quickly and turned her head away.

"That's the problem. You think too much!"

It was getting to the point where she almost couldn't hold in her laughter at the lost look on his face. He really was too much sometimes.

"But…but I…you…"

Temari broke out into giggles and took his face in both hands, giving him a loving smile.

"You're too much, Naruto. I'm not angry, so stop pouting. I was just messing with you."

Naruto closed his eyes and took a deep breath. It was just like Temari to mess with him like that. She seemed to take pleasure from teasing him. His eyes opened slowly and a grin crossed his face that Temari did not like…at all…

"I hope you didn't pay too much for that kimono, Temari-chan. You're about to find it hard to wear in the future."

Her eyes grew wide as he rolled back his sleeves and swiped his hand over his smallest restriction seal. The wind whipped around him and she took a few steps backward, cocking her head to the side.

"Naruto-kun, we shouldn't do this here. It's not our training ground…and it's much harder to fix a forest instead of sand dunes."

He flashed out of view and she shuddered when she felt his breath on her ear.

"I. Don't. Care."

Temari knew she would mourn the loss of the expensive kimono later, but right now, she had to defend herself. She lunged forward just as his foot found the space where her head had been and rolled to a kneeling position, reaching behind her for one of the small iron fans that she carried on her all the time.

"That wasn't fair, Naruto-kun."

She felt the air distort behind her again and he wrapped his arms around her shoulders from behind. It made her feel safe and insecure at the same time. Safe, because she knew he wouldn't really and truly hurt her; insecure, because she knew she'd have a few bruises at the end of this. He whispered into her ear again.

"Life's not fair, Temari. Remember, in the middle of battle, I'm no longer 'Naruto-kun'. I'm just Naruto."

He shoved her forward and she used the momentum to handspring back to her feet and released her own restriction seals. The wind rushed around her and she grinned as she put the fan before her face, obscuring the view of her mouth and batted her eyelashes.

"Aw, you're so cute when you're being aggressive. It's much hotter than when you're being pacifistic. Come on, honey, show me what you got."

Naruto growled playfully and leapt at her as they began to wind around each other. The force of the winds caught the attention of several ninjas and soon the perimeter of the clearing was dotted with ninjas of various degrees.

Temari spun gracefully and twirled her fan in Naruto's direction, sending a funnel of wind his way. Naruto sidestepped and let it fly by him, right toward a group of hidden chuunin. He smirked and held his arm out to his side, his staff erupting from the ground and leaping into his hand. He twirled it about and pointed it at Temari.

"Let's see how this goes. We've never done the 'green' versus your wind manipulation."

Temari grinned and readied herself. She felt so much lighter on her feet without the restriction seals, like she could do anything. She tipped the fan in a 'come hither' motion and snapped it shut. Naruto tilted his chin up and slammed his staff into the ground. A tsunami of plants erupted from the ground, heading straight for Temari at high speed.

Her training with Naruto had given her a greater understanding of her own power over wind and she had become very proficient in using it. A small fan was more than sufficient for countering his deluge of greenery. The metal blades snapped open again and she swiped it forward, infusing it with wind chakra and cutting a swath through the plants headed toward her.

Naruto frowned as she destroyed his small tsunami and raised his staff overhead as four large trees erupted from the ground, blocking the wind headed his way. He slowly stepped around the trunks and clucked his tongue.

"Tsk, tsk, Temari. I thought you had more 'oomph' than that. I'm disappointed."

Temari growled and charged her fan with wind chakra.

"You're just lucky I left my battle fan at Hinata's house. I'd have already won this by now."

Naruto grinned and wagged his finger at her, as if he was chiding a child, as she rushed forward, the air around the fan distorting. Naruto channeled his own wind chakra around his staff, small chunks coming off of it, and slammed it against Temari's fan. The two wind charkas battled each other for dominance as the two grit their teeth, trying to over power the other.

"WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON HERE?"

**Sweet Jesus nipples, do all you blondes have to be so loud?**

The two blondes looked to the side at the same time, their weapons sliding past each other and sending vortexes of wind chakra barreling towards the woods behind both of them. The wind slammed into the forest, uprooting trees and sending the hidden ninjas scurrying for cover.

Naruto and Temari stood frozen as they stared at an irate Tsunade, who had a wide-awake-for-once Sanzoku on her shoulders. The older blonde put her hands on her hips and tapped her foot, small vibrations rumbling through the ground.

"Well? I'm waiting."

Naruto put his staff on his shoulders, hanging his arms over it like he was carrying a yoke. Temari put her fan back into the folds of her sash and fixed one of the ponytails that had come loose. She frowned when she realized that her flowers had been lost in the fight.

"We were just sparring, Hokage-sama. We can't let our skills get rusty just because we're on vacation."

Tsunade's tapping was getting harder.

"Most _spars_ don't tear up the landscape and attract every ninja in the vicinity. The training ground is a mess, the forest is knocked down, and I'm pretty sure that some of my chuunin have been hurt."

Naruto sighed and took his staff off his shoulders and tapped it on the ground. Trees erupted from the ground, replacing the ones they had knocked down.

"You happy now, Baa-chan?"

Tsunade narrowed her eyes at the nickname.

"No, I'm not happy. Look at my training ground. It has scars everywhere."

Naruto shrugged and let go of his staff, watching as it sank back into the ground.

"So, I'll pay you to have a genin team clean it up. What's the big deal?"

"You two didn't have authorization to use this field."

"I'm still not seeing the problem."

Tsunade walked forward and glared at both of them, making the two younger blondes shrink back slightly as she whispered.

"What if you had uprooted or crushed the memorial stone?"

Naruto's eyes widened and he looked at the ground, somewhat ashamed of himself. How could he have forgotten about the memorial stone? Tsunade sighed and scratched Sanzoku under his chin.

"Don't worry about it. I'll let it slide this time. Now, come to my office. I need to talk to you two about something."

Naruto nodded and fell into place beside Tsunade, his head still hanging. Temari frowned at his hangdog look and cut her eyes to Sanzoku, who was still riding on Tsunade's shoulders.

"So this is where you've been since last night?"

Sanzoku lazily flicked his tail at her.

**Well, I didn't want to interrupt the two of you while you were 'playing'. I didn't want to hear you 'playing' either. So, I went to Tsunade's office and slept on her desk.**

"How did you get in?"

Sanzoku yawned and flicked his tail again.

**I can get in anywhere I want to. It helps that she was asleep at her desk as well. The window was unlocked.**

Temari frowned at Tsunade.

"Hokage-sama, do you ever go home and sleep in a bed?"

Tsunade snorted.

"I'm safer at the office. There are perverts abroad _and_ at home. At least I have guards at the office."

"Oh come on, Hime. I'm not that bad."

Temari whirled around to find Jiraiya walking beside her. She blinked rapidly and looked to find Naruto walking as if nothing had happened.

"Where the hell did you come from?"

Jiraiya grinned and wagged his finger.

"That's for me to know and you to never find out, my dear."

Temari scoffed and turned back to the front.

"Whatever, pervert."

Jiraiya rolled his eyes and sighed, speaking to Naruto.

"You know, after being called that by you for as long as I've known you, it doesn't sting as much anymore."

"Pervy sage."

Jiraiya hung his head.

"You guys suck…"

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Tsunade motioned for Naruto and Temari to take a seat in front of her desk while Jiraiya stood behind her, leaned against the wall. Sanzoku lay cradled in Tsunade's arms while she stroked him like a cat. Naruto smirked as he sat down.

"I thought you didn't like Baa-chan touching you because she threatened your balls, Sanzoku?"

The red panda yawned and cracked an eye open.

**We buried the hatchet. Let's leave it at that.**

"…you brought her some sake, didn't you?"

**I don't recall.**

"Of course you don't."

Tsunade cleared her throat and Temari and Naruto immediately brought their attention to her. Tsunade laced her fingers together and rested her chin on them.

"What do you think of Konoha's decision to execute Uchiha Sasuke?"

The two blondes were taken aback by the question. Temari turned to Naruto and nodded her head for him to answer. This was his field.

"Well…I'm surprised. I would never have thought you could convince them to go through with an execution. But why wait a month to execute him? Why not just do it now?"

Tsunade sighed and looked down at her fingers.

"It's customary for the condemned to have time to think over what they've done and contemplate their fate. Besides that, it gives the interrogation department time to weasel more information out of them."

"But Sasuke is too dangerous to keep for a month. What if Oto tries to rescue him? What if someone attempts to?"

Tsunade sat back in her chair, letting her arms fall onto the armrests.

"Well, Hebi won't be coming to save him. Gaara executed them all right after we left. Suigetsu was left out in the desert in that canister we caught him in. Karin was beheaded. Juugo was a tougher nut to crack. He was impervious to most pain so Gaara just crushed his entire body. They won't be coming to help him."

She looked out the window, casting her gaze over Konoha.

"No one will come for him. He has no allies. But…that's why I have a plan."

Naruto's interest was piqued immediately.

"Go on."

Tsunade grinned and leaned forward conspiratorily.

"We're going to execute him early. Two weeks early. I'll have Yamato make a platform in the middle of town and we'll parade him out and behead him. A grand spectacle that will send a message to the other nukenin that we aren't fucking around anymore."

Naruto blinked.

"Are you serious? You're actually going to do that? What about the council? What about protocol?"

Tsunade scoffed and pulled some sake out of her drawer, pouring some for Jiraiya and herself.

"The council can stuff it and I could care less about protocol. Following the rules has cost me a lot already. This is one time where I'm using my position and power to do some good. I'm going to rid the world of a worthless human being. Uchiha Sasuke will die."

Jiraiya took his dish and downed it with a quick gulp.

"We want you to be there, to see this through to the end. You'll also be a deterrent if anyone tries anything. Not many would try to go against the man who took down Uchiha Sasuke. How about it?"

Naruto nodded his head and pulled Temari's hand into his own, winding their fingers together.

"We'll be there."

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They had been in Konoha a little over two weeks already and it was the day of Sasuke's execution. Naruto and Temari both dressed in their regular battle wear, preparing for anything that might come their way. The execution was unscheduled and only a select few knew about it.

They were going to leave right after the execution, as soon as Sasuke's head touched the ground. Neither wanted to put up with the aftermath.

Hinata hadn't come by that morning so they had made up the bed and cleaned up after themselves. No reason to be sloppy guests after all.

They walked through town towards the appointed spot, in the middle of the market. It was still early, seeing as Tsunade planned to do it around lunchtime. Naruto insisted they stop by Ichiraku's one last time.

It was a quiet affair. There wasn't much for Naruto and the Ichiraku's to talk about. He merely ate his food in silence, shook Teuchi's hand, gave Ayame a hug, and left with Temari on his arm. He could already see Yamato in the midst of creating the platform, the people milling around him to see what he was doing.

Naruto and Temari stepped into the shadows of a nearby shop to avoid early detection and watched as Tsunade showed up with Jiraiya in tow, standing atop the platform with her arms crossed. The crowd was abuzz with what this meant. Then…Sasuke's procession began.

Silence fell over the marketplace of Konoha like a curtain dropping over a stage. Sasuke had a bag over his head as he was lead to the platform and was helped up the steps. All eyes were on him as he stumbled along, led by Ibiki and Anko. The crowd gathered in close, to hear what was going to be said, Naruto and Temari in the middle to remain inconspicous. Tsunade cleared her throat and stepped to the edge of the platform.

"We are here today to witness the execution of one of Konoha's most notorious nukenin, Uchiha Sasuke."

The bag was whipped from his head and the crowd gasped. It was indeed him. Several angry murmurs flew throughout the throng, upset that the Hokage would even insinuate killing him. Sasuke tried to speak, but his mouth was gagged.

"Uchiha Sasuke has been tried and convicted of crimes against Konoha. Betrayal in the highest, attempted murder of fellow Konoha ninjas, giving secrets to the enemy…the list goes on. He will be executed today by beheading by an ANBU sword. This sentence is irrefutable and cannot be overturned. As Hokage, I sentence him to death. Bring the condemned forward."

Sasuke fought the whole way, his heels digging into the wood platform as Ibiki muscled him to the chopping block and threw him down. Anko helped the bear of a man stretch the boy out and held him as an ANBU stepped forward and pulled out his sword.

Naruto was watching intently as the ANBU made a show of sharpening the sword while another held a chunk of wood to the side for the other to cut. They were trying to make this as intimidating as possible.

"Such a bore, is it not, Naruto-kun?"

Naruto nodded his head and thought about that voice. It seemed so familiar. His eyes popped open wide and he slowly turned his head to find…

"Itachi. What are you doing here? Come to free Sasuke?"

"No, I have not. I will not free him. But my master wishes for Sasuke to come to us."

Naruto narrowed his eyes and growled his response.

"I won't allow you. I'll kill you first."

Itachi cut his eyes to Naruto.

"I'm just here to detain you while the others free Sasuke, nothing more, nothing less."

Naruto grit his teeth and readied himself.

"The others? Then you're all here. Why are you keeping me busy?"

Itachi turned to fully face him and began to unbutton his cloak.

"Let's just say I have a vested interest in you at the moment, Naruto-kun, and I want to find something out. The others do not matter for the moment and they have been ordered to retrieve Sasuke with minimal damage."

Naruto growled and his staff rose from the ground. Itachi barely quirked his eyebrow.

"See? _That's_ what I want to know about."

A resounding boom and the scream of the crowd let them know that the others had begun. Itachi whipped his cloak off and put his hand on his sword hilt.

"So, shall we begin?"

**Next chapter should be quite the doozy. Let me know what you think.**


	21. Thorns

And here's Chapter 21. I had to write this one quick before I lost the idea. Hope you like it. Readers, Reviewers, Thank You...**Disciples of Babylon**_ by Dragonforce._

**CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE**

Naruto kept his eyes locked on Itachi, not willing to let him have a crack at harming the populace. He'd have to let everyone else worry about Sasuke and the rest of the Akatsuki, granted there were nowhere near as many now. That did not mean that their strength was lessened.

While Itachi was keeping him busy, Kisame, Zetsu, and Tobi were moving to free Sasuke and he couldn't allow that. He had warned them of the dangers of leaving him alive. He should have killed him when he had the chance. He would never leave a job that needed to be done in the hands of others ever again when he could just as readily do it.

Itachi eyeballed the staff in Naruto's hand and let his own slip to his sword's hilt. He was nothing if not cautious…or was it paranoid?

"When did you get the staff, Naruto-kun? That's a unique way to summon it."

"I don't kiss and tell, Itachi. Now get the hell out of my way."

Naruto made to run around the Uchiha and found his way blocked.

"I can't let you do that. Believe me, Naruto-kun, I don't want to rescue Sasuke. He's already messed up my plans enough. But it's not my choice."

Naruto twirled his staff in his hand and spread his legs slightly, ready to run forward.

"What plans?"

"I've said enough. Now show me what I want to know."

Naruto ran forward, swinging his staff for Itachi's temple, and the Uchiha jumped to the side. Naruto used the momentum to carry himself around in a spin and lashed out for Itachi's legs. Itachi jumped over the staff and flipped backwards.

As soon as his feet had touched the ground Itachi rushed forward and pulled his sword from its scabbard. Naruto brought his staff up and blocked the blow that was aimed for his shoulder. The two weapons shook with their wielders effort and Itachi quirked his eyebrow.

"A staff made from chakra conductive wood? That is definitely different, Naruto-kun. Perhaps you can tell me which one of you sent the forest after us in Suna?"

Naruto pushed Itachi back and thrust the pointy end of the gnarled staff toward Itachi's chest. The Uchiha bent backward and backflipped away. Naruto formed the Rasengan in his right hand and ran forward, attempting to catch Itachi with it. The missing nin dodged to the side and watched as Naruto flew past him and the Rasengan impacted the soil, sending chunks of dirt and debris flying.

Naruto spun immediately and thrust his staff upward, blocking another attempt to behead him. Something felt wrong. Why wasn't he hearing any screaming? Why hadn't he seen Temari since this all started?

Where the hell was the platform?

Naruto blocked another thrust and snarled, lashing out and continuously spinning his body until he caught Itachi in the side, sending him flying. He cursed himself for a fool.

Genjutsu…his one glaring weakness. Itachi had caught him the moment he locked eyes with him. How could he be so stupid? He thought he had come so far and it took Itachi to make him feel like an academy student again.

Unfortunately for Itachi, he wasn't twelve anymore. He wasn't fifteen anymore. He could break genjutsu on his own.

It was just going to hurt like hell.

Itachi watched as Naruto formed a Kage Bunshin and handed it the staff. His eyes grew wide when the clone brandished the staff and clubbed Naruto in the jaw as hard as it could…and the genjutsu melted away, revealing everyone standing in the same spot. Naruto dismissed the clone and grabbed his staff again, before setting his jaw back in place.

"I hate genjutsu. I'm going to kill you and then I'm going to kill your brother. No more hiding, Itachi."

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Temari, who hadn't noticed Naruto being put in such a subtle, suggestive genjutsu turned her head when she heard the name 'Itachi'.

"Naruto? Itachi? Oh shit!"

The crowd all turned when they heard her shout and a boom rang out over Konoha. She turned back to the stage to see Kisame and Tobi fighting several Konoha jounin. Pein and Konan were nowhere to be found. Sasuke was still down on his knees, Anko and Ibiki having joined the fray. He was trying to struggle to his feet. She couldn't let the bastard get away.

"Naruto, take care of yourself! I'm going to secure the prisoner!"

Naruto didn't look back at her, but nodded his head in affirmation. Temari ran for the stage, already pulling her fan from her sash. Naruto kept his eyes locked on Itachi, the real Itachi, who still had his cloak on.

"What do you need Sasuke for, Itachi? Why does Akatsuki need him?"

The Uchiha shrugged and remained impassive.

"I have no idea. I was only told to retrieve him. I'm not privy to every plot or desire of my master. And you still haven't answered my question."

"And you haven't answered mine. I guess we're at an impasse."

"I guess we are."

The two glared at each other for a moment before running forward, wood and steel meeting each other.

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Temari made it to the stage just in time to watch as Kisame was pushed back by a group of ANBU and Tobi was being detained by Kakashi and some other jounins. Temari leapt up beside Sasuke and pushed him back to the ground, setting her knee into the small of his back.

"You just sit tight, Uchiha. You aren't going anywhere except Hell today."

The gag in Sasuke's mouth had somehow loosened itself in the tussle. Lucky for Temari. Now she got to listen to his mouth.

"You see, bitch? Someone came for me. I knew they would."

Temari, not in the mood for it, pressed harder into his back and growled.

"Yeah, your brother and his buddies came for you. Don't act so damn smug."

Sasuke tensed underneath her and immediately began to struggle.

"He's here? He's here! Let me go! Take the seals off and let me fight him! I have to avenge my clan! He's so close!"

Temari was about to knock the boy in the head with her fan when she saw something coming her way out of the corner of her eye and thrust her fan forward, blocking the kick that had been aimed for her head. She was knocked off of Sasuke's back and onto her butt.

"Hello, pretty lady! Tobi's a good boy!"

Temari blinked and used her fan to come to her feet as Kakashi and Sakura landed on either side of her. Kakashi eyeballed the Sharingan wielder and raised his headband, revealing his own Copy Eye.

"Tobi. It's not a pleasure to see you again."

"Aw, that wasn't nice. Tobi was having fun visiting you people. Tobi's been a good boy lately, so if you'd just hand Sasuke over, Tobi can go back to being a good boy again."

Sakura stood in front of Sasuke, ready to punch.

"Not a chance, freak."

"…you guys are mean…"

Kakashi opened his Sharingan eye and slid into a taijutsu stance.

"Who are you and why do you have the Sharingan? Why do you need Sasuke?"

Tobi's mood seemed to darken for a moment before the lightheartedness came back.

"Tobi can't tell you that. But, Tobi can tell you that you need to move."

Kakashi narrowed his eyes, ready for anything.

"Why should we do that?"

"So Tobi can get Sasuke?"

Sakura growled and jumped at the orange-masked ninja, barely missing him.

"Not a chance!"

Kakashi turned to Temari before leaping after Sakura.

"If you see an opening with this guy, take it. I have a hunch that he's the most dangerous one out of this group."

Temari nodded and opened her fan all the way, revealing all three moons. She needed to wait for the right moment to release her resistance seals.

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Naruto ducked under another sword stab and kicked out towards Itachi, narrowly missing the Uchiha's groin. Itachi leapt backwards and glared at the blonde.

"That was a dirty move, Naruto-kun."

"Says the asshole who killed his whole family."

"I had my reasons."

"I'd love to hear them if you surrender."

Itachi stopped for a moment, as if debating with himself on the merits of surrender, before lunging for Naruto and locking weapons with him once again. Itachi's face was a mask of neutrality as he leaned forward to whisper in Naruto's ear while the two battled for dominance.

"My reasons will become clear enough in due time. My time is up. I've detained you long enough. We shall see each other again soon."

Naruto froze as Itachi stepped back and sheathed his sword. He looked from the hilt to Itachi's face, stupefied.

"What the hell are you doing?"

Itachi pulled his cloak closed and buttoned it up again.

"I have not found any satisfactory answers to my queries and we have not gotten anywhere with this fight. I have detained you long enough. We shall meet again."

Itachi shunshined away and Naruto spun immediately to the stage, his eyes widening in horror as he watched Temari get stabbed in the stomach by a kunai by Tobi.

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Kakashi and Sakura were doing a good job keeping Tobi at bay. The annoying Akatsuki member kept phasing in and out of Sakura's punches and Kakashi was afraid to use his Mangekyou for fear of accidentally maiming a comrade. Temari stood over Sasuke, periodically kicking him so that he'd stay down. She simply couldn't find an opening and she knew if she removed the seals, she would attract attention.

Kakashi called Sakura back and they squared off against Tobi again.

"Sensei, I can't hit him. He keeps disappearing. It's like when Naruto and Kiba tried to hit him that one time. What's his weakness?"

Kakashi narrowed his eyes and kept them trained on the swirl-masked ninja.

"I don't know. But he has chakra, he can't keep it up forever."

"Of course I can. Tobi has lots of chakra. Let's avoid the fight and you hand over Sasuke."

Kakashi edged back to Sasuke slightly and pulled out a kunai.

"I think not. Why do you want him?"

"Tobi can't say. That would make Tobi a bad boy."

Kakashi tried to run a plan through his mind but nothing was coming. There wasn't enough information, there wasn't enough time. They couldn't let Tobi get his hands on Sasuke. If he got away, the cycle would continue and they'd never have any peace.

But no matter what they tried, Tobi always just dodged, or phased out of existence, or deflected the blows. He was untouchable. After nearly five minutes of back and forth, Tobi got bored apparently and decided enough was enough. After dodging another blow from Sakura and a kunai stab from Kakashi, he turned to see what the others were doing.

Kisame was laughing, a maniacal grin on his face, as he fought the ANBU. Itachi and Naruto were crossing weapons and the blonde wasn't going anywhere. Tsunade and Jiraiya were busy with Zetsu, who was infuriating Tsunade by popping up here, there, and everywhere. They'd been at this long enough.

Tobi waited for Sakura to come for him again and instead of phasing out or moving aside, he kicked her in the gut as hard as he could, sending her rocketing through one of the market stands and skidding into a building. Kakashi, while he feared she was hurt, tried to press the advantage while Tobi was offbalance.

The two began to exchange blows, neither landing decisive hits. Tobi dodged a stab to his throat and jabbed at Kakashi's arm.

"You're very good with that eye, Kakashi-san, for it being implanted."

Kakashi knocked the blow aside and ducked as Sakura flew over his head, throwing a punch at Tobi's head, which he let pass through him.

"You seem very well-schooled in the use of Sharingan as well. I did not think that there were other users besides the Uchiha brothers and myself. Perhaps you can tell me how you got yours?"

Tobi flinched and that was enough for Sakura to finally land a decisive blow. He flew into the side of a building and crashed through it, exploding out the other side. Sakura clenched her fist and the leather groaned as she grinned.

"Finally got him!"

She couldn't savor her moment, however, as Tobi appeared before her, the massive, hateful aura coming from him stifling everyone. Sweat poured off her in rivulets. She hadn't been this scared, this petrified, since that time she met Orochimaru in the Forest of Death. The single Sharingan that Tobi had exposed was spinning madly.

"I'm tired of playing. Get out of my way."

Before Sakura could reply, he backhanded her hard enough to snap her head around backward, sending her flying through several buildings before she skidded to a stop, barely missing Ichiraku's. Kakashi yelled out to her, but had to defend himself as Tobi was upon him. He couldn't remember being this helpless in forever.

Tobi finally was able to block a kick Kakashi threw and landed a roundhouse kick to Kakashi's head, knocking the Copy Ninja back. He appeared before Temari instantly, wanting to take advantage of the moment.

"Tobi would appreciate it if you would move."

Temari grimaced and let her hands settle over the seals, releasing them. The rush of wind blew the dust in the air away and ruffled Tobi's cloak, making it flap violently. The orange mask cocked to the side.

"What was that?"

Temari, now feeling much, much faster and more flexible, just put her fan behind her back, ready to swing it forward.

"None of your damn business. Now get lost."

"Sorry, can't do that."

Tobi ran forward and lashed out with a kick that Temari blocked with her fan. He was surprised at the speed with which she blocked, especially since the weapon was very heavy. The blow made him stumble slightly and she pressed the advantage, snapping the fan shut and swinging it with all her might at his head, watching with displeasure as it passed right through him.

Sasuke began trying to get to his feet again and she jumped backward, stomping on his back and taking the air out of him, before leaping into the air and thrusting her fan downward towards Tobi's head. It was no use; she just couldn't land a hit on him. Tobi, it seemed, suddenly had a revelation. He twisted his head to look back at Naruto, who was locked up with Itachi again, and the smirk could be felt in his voice.

"I thought you looked familiar. We may not be after the Nine Tails jinchuuriki today, but I can still leave him a present. Killing you will be a nice note for him."

He leaned over and picked up Kakashi's discarded kunai and ran forward, thrusting at Temari's vitals. She blocked frantically, trying with all her might to avoid being stabbed. She couldn't watch over Sasuke and Tobi at the same time, however, and backpedaled right over Sasuke, who was struggling to get up again, and lost her footing.

Tobi took advantage of her loss of balance and jammed the kunai into her gut. Temari gasped in horror and looked down to find it buried to the hilt. She fell to her knees, holding onto the metal and trying not to panic. She had to keep a level head in all of this. She felt herself fall backwards to the floor and took deep breaths.

She hated the feeling of helplessness and feared death. If she died, what would become of Gaara? Of Kankurou? Of Naruto? She had only just begun to enjoy her life with him. Fear began to creep into her, but she fought it valiantly. She rolled her head to the side and watched as Tobi picked up a bound Sasuke, threw him over his shoulder, and turned to her, mirth in his voice.

"Tobi had fun playing with you, pretty lady, but now he has to go. Thanks for babysitting Sasuke-kun for us."

Temari couldn't reply at the moment and Tobi knew that. Maintaining her cool was more important at the moment if she wanted to live. He had not gotten a very good stab at her, but without treatment, she would die in time. He adjusted Sasuke to a more comfortable position and was about to make the signal for them to leave when power seemed to explode into the air and plantlife suddenly erupted from the ground around him, thorns and brambles of all kinds, with beautiful blooms.

Time stopped it seemed as he turned to the source and found a blonde man, illuminated by a green aura, a staff in his hands stretched out toward him. For the first time in a long time, Tobi, no, not Tobi, _Madara_ felt anxiety and a touch of fear.

The young man looked incredibly pissed…

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Naruto had seen Temari get stabbed and his whole world seemed to stop. He watched her fall and struggle to stop Tobi. He felt proud and afraid for her in the same moment. But her life was in danger and he couldn't allow that. His own anger, not the fox's seemed to billow from within him, and he felt the essence of his power, the 'green', bubble up. A green aura began to surround him and he knew what he had to do.

He was going to kill Sasuke and then the rest of them.

He thrust his staff forward and called forth the most horrible briars, brambles, and thorns he could think of to deter the masked ninja. The offending plantlife burst from the ground and surrounded the man. Tobi looked back to Naruto and reached out, touching one of the thorns, pricking his finger and holding it to his face as the blood turned black.

"Poison. Very clever. I did not know that there was another who possessed the Mokuton bloodline. I'll take great pleasure in killing you, child. You're a descendent of my most hated enemy and revered friend after all."

Naruto snarled and ran forward, the thorns moving aside for him as he began to swing on Madara. He could care less about the mysterious man's motives at the moment. He wanted revenge for what he had done to Temari. He needed to end this quick.

Madara saw that this situation was not advantageous and decided that retreat was a better option. He humped over Naruto and let loose with a Katon jutsu, burning a hole in the plants and leaping through before it could close again. Naruto howled in frustration and hurried after him.

"You're not getting away!"

Tobi felt the winds whip around him and turned his head to find Naruto gaining on him. He figured the boy must have done something similar to Temari and then remembered what Itachi had told him of his fight with Sasuke. The boy was incredibly fast. Retreat was the best solution.

As if on cue, all the Akatsuki were by his side, and he tossed Sasuke to Kisame. The fish-man caught him deftly and they continued to run. Naruto turned his head to see if anyone was following him and was happy to find that no one was and Tsunade was knelt down beside Temari. Good. No one else needed to see this.

The Akatsuki members increased their speed and were outside the gates within seconds, running through the trees in the direction of Amegakure. They felt a hurricane force wind behind them and as they entered a clearing, they found Naruto standing with his staff, his eyes showing a cold fury.

"I know I can't kill you four. But if I can't kill you, then I'll kill Sasuke at least. He's not going free today."

Kisame laughed and shrugged his shoulder, making Sasuke bounce.

"There's four of us, kid, and only one of you. What makes you think you have a chance?"

"Because I'm not alone."

Naruto formed the handsigns for Kuchiyose no Jutsu and Tsubasa appeared under him, shooting the blonde ninja into the air. The Akatsuki looked on in awe at a summon that had never been seen and Tsubasa glared down at them, baring his teeth.

**Ah, a full meal. Greens, sushi, and meat with orange sherbert on the side. What shall we do here, Naruto?**

Naruto looked down at the four, still in a silent fury.

"Kill them all if you can. Especially the bound and gagged one."

**And what are you going to do?**

"The same thing you are. I'm going to try to kill them."

Naruto leapt off Tsubasa's head, straight for Kisame and swung his staff at the man. Kisame leapt aside, still holding Sasuke on his shoulder. Naruto landed hard and took off after the fleeing Kisame. The other three started to chase him but Tsubasa suddenly appeared in front of them, his teeth set in a grim sneer.

**Ah, ah, ah. Not so fast. My young ward has business with the fishy one. And it's about damn time you showed up, Sanzoku.**

The three turned to find a small red panda panting slightly behind them and Zetsu chuckled.

"**It's just Naruto's** pet rat. He can't** do anything.**"

Sanzoku snarled and his fur stood on end.

**Let's see what I can do when I rip your face off, plant boy.**

The three Akatsuki watched as the red panda began to grow in size, until he was nearly half as big as Tsubasa. He stomped on the ground, creating a small tremor and growled.

**By your leave, Tsubasa-sama, I want the man-plant.**

**Take him, child. I'll take the others.**

The two raccoon summons leapt into battle, nearly squishing their opponents.

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Kisame looked behind him fearfully. Naruto was gaining quickly and it seemed that the plantlife was closing in on him. The light ahead meant a clearing was coming up and Kisame pumped more chakra into his legs when he felt a stinging sensation and looked down at the arm holding his sword. There was a vine with huge black thorns wrapped around his lower arm. The blood seeping from the scratch was black.

Poison.

He pulled his arm free of the vine and increased his speed with more urgency. If this brat got a hold of him…

He burst into the clearing and stopped dead in his tracks. Before him stood Naruto, his blue eyes burning with a cold fury, his staff held in his right hand. The blonde glared at him and pointed his staff.

"Put him down, Kisame, and step away. He has to die."

Kisame grinned and hefted his sword.

"Sorry, brat. You know, I can't do that. The boss would kill me if I let Sasuke die."

Naruto didn't say anything. He simply looked at the ground and sighed. His head snapped up and he was upon Kisame, swinging his staff with all his might. Kisame blocked the blow with his sword and parried every blow. Naruto suddenly leapt back and jammed his staff into the earth in front of him. Kisame, ready for a jutsu, put his sword in front of him.

"What are you doing, brat? Trying to call up the fox? That won't work, you know."

Naruto glared at Kisame and put his hands together as if in prayer.

"I know that. That's why I've decided to let my own power take care of you. Know in your death that nature claimed you, Hoshigake Kisame."

Kisame's beady eyes widened as the forest seemed to come alive and he dropped Sasuke on the ground, swiping every which way with his sword, cutting branches, vines, thorns, brambles, grass, anything that got near him. He suddenly saw why Itachi was so interested in Naruto again…it was this power, a power that drew on nature. It was all around them, all the time, so he had no need to create unless he wanted to.

He commanded plant life. As Kisame was drawn further and further away from Sasuke's bound form, he began to panic. He couldn't fail his mission, what would they do to him? Sasuke had to come back with them. He frantically began to cut his way back to the boy as Naruto made his way toward the Uchiha.

Kisame let out a roar and hacked his way through, just before the briars parted and let Naruto through. He snatched the boy off the ground and shouldered him again before starting to slash through the plants again. He finally made a hole in the wall and burst through, running for Amegakure, fear lending wings to his feet.

Naruto watched as Kisame ran, not believing he had slashed through his wall of plants and grit his teeth. He couldn't let him get away. He roared in frustration and ran after Kisame, and threw his staff like a missile. It flew through the air and struck Kisame in the back, imbedding itself. The missing nin let out a gargled cry and fell to his knees, dropping Sasuke in the process. The Uchiha rolled and bounced several feet away and stopped with a grunt.

The vines began to creep over Kisame again and he yanked the staff from his back and began to panic, hacking and slashing at them again, Sasuke forgotten in a moment of self-preservation. Naruto directed the most poisonous vines to pick Sasuke up. His gag had come loose at some point, and he screamed when some of the thorns entered into him, their poison spreading quickly as he was lifted into the air.

Sasuke felt the sting of the poison as it entered his system and came to the conclusion that he was going to die. No vengeance, no reviving his clan, no more living…all because of his former best friend. His anger grew more and more as the poison coursed through his veins and he finally noticed the branch that had been hovering over him, the end of it sharp as a senbon needle. He screamed out to the world as it descended upon him.

"DAMN YOU, UZUMAKI NARUTO! DAMN YOU TO HELL!"

A wet squelching sound cut through the clearing and all eyes turned to find Sasuke impaled on the branch, it having gone through his heart. His eyes had gone wide in shock and blood dripped from his mouth as he stared into the forest. Naruto just turned away, not wanting to look at what he'd done, but soon wished he hadn't as Tobi's fist found its way to his face, knocking him into a tree. The masked ninja, having somehow gotten away from the summons, began to pummel him into the bark.

"You little bastard! All that planning, all that time, wasted because of your insignificant self-righteousness!"

Naruto couldn't move as Tobi overwhelmed him, landing blow after blow. Whenever Naruto struck back, the man phased that body part out of existence as if subconsciously, and continued to pound away. The vines worked to save him, but couldn't get a grip on the Akatsuki member. Tobi heard a bloodcurdling scream behind him, but spared it no notice. It was inconsequential at the moment. Naruto was starting to lose conciousness, when he heard a scream from several familiar voices.

"Naruto!"

"Tobi!"

**Boss!**

**Naruto! Get away from him!**

Madara turned his head to find Tsunade, Jiraiya, and the two huge summons running his way and slammed Naruto's head against the tree, leaning down to his face, and whispered.

"You're lucky I can't take you now. I need you alive, child, so stay that way for a little while longer. Heal yourself and we'll meet again. You won't stop my ambitions. Now, take a nap."

Naruto's eyes rolled back in his head as Madara slammed his head into the trunk again and leaped away to follow the others. Kisame had slipped away at some point, probably helped by Zetsu or Itachi. Tsunade skidded to a stop beside Naruto and slapped him on his cheek.

"Come on, brat, stay with us! We healed Temari, she's fine, so you can't let her see you like this!"

Naruto struggled to remain awake and tried to focus his vision. He had been careless when he allowed Tobi to get that close. He coughed up blood and pointed to a tangle of thorns in the middle of the clearing.

"Sasuke's…over there. I was able to get him…at least. Baa-chan…we gotta…talk when I…wake back up."

She had begun to run her hands over him, healing his internal injuries, noticing with great satisfaction that the Kyuubi was already working with her. Jiraiya gingerly pushed the thorns aside, careful to not touch them, and fished out Sasuke's body. The blood oozing from it was thick and blackened from all the poison.

"I've got the Uchiha, Tsunade. He's deader than a doorknob."

She nodded and kept healing Naruto. The boy had fallen asleep under her ministrations and she smiled down at him.

"That must have been hard for him, having to do that. No matter what he says, I know it must have hurt."

Her eyes widened and she snapped her head around to Jiraiya.

"What about Orochimaru?"

Jiraiya shrugged and looked down at the body he was dragging behind him.

"I dunno. He must have died with Sasuke. We'll never know."

Tsunade picked up Naruto in her arms and Jiraiya handed Sasuke over to one of the ninjas that had accompanied them. The mood was somber as they marched back to Konoha. Jiraiya walked up beside her and looked down at Naruto. Tsubasa called out to them.

**Are you going to take him to the hospital?**

She shook her head and smiled down at the blonde in her arms.

"No. I'm going to take him to Minato's house and put him to bed. The way the fox heals him, he'll be up in a matter of days."

**Very well. When he wakes up, tell him I would like to speak to him as soon as possible. Sanzoku, watch over him.**

**Yes, Tsubasa-sama.**

The giant summon disappeared in a large poof of smoke and Sanzoku crawled onto Jiraiya's shoulders, back to his small size again. Jiraiya didn't even notice and glanced at Tsunade again.

"What about Temari? It'll take her a little longer to heal up, even if you did heal most of the damage."

Tsunade grinned and kept walking.

"We'll put them in the bed together. It's big enough that they won't disturb one another…unless they want to."

Jiraiya grinned.

"Now who's the pervert?"

"Shut up, you old goat."

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Naruto awoke to a familiar sensation of arms wrapped around him. His eyes opened slowly and he glanced around the room he was in.

Familiar curtains, check. Familiar paint, check. Familiar furniture, check. Familiar head of blonde hair laying across his chest, complete with the familiar smell of gardenias?

Check.

He smiled down at Temari and listened to her breathe. After watching her get stabbed, it was the most beautiful sound he'd ever heard. He adjusted his arm underneath her and found it was asleep. She yawned suddenly and her big teal eyes opened and locked onto his.

"Hey you. Welcome back."

He smiled down at her and blinked sleepily.

"Same to you. How are you?"

She nuzzled into his chest more, her grip on him tightening.

"I'm fine. I'm just fine."

She gasped when his arms locked around her and he pulled her to him, squeezing her tightly.

"Don't you ever do something like that again, do you hear me? Don't you ever scare me like that again."

The misery in his voice broke any disagreement she was about to make and she simply kissed him on the lips and hugged him harder.

"You either."

**You two are so cute like that.**

Temari growled at Sanzoku, who lay at the end of the bed, his tail twitching back and forth happily.

"And you know how to ruin a mood."

**It's what I do best. I'm happy to see the two of you up and well. I'll leave you alone now. Rest and recover. There is much to do when you are back to full health.**

"Thanks, plushie."

**Just rest. We'll exchange barbs later.**

Naruto and Temari nodded and he wrapped his arms back around her, pulling her close. They lay like that until they went back to sleep, unaware they were being watched. Sanzoku walked out the door and looked up, nodding to Tsunade as he walked between her legs and down the hall. Tsunade shushed Shizune and Sakura and ushered them away.

"Let them have their time. We'll talk to them later."

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Itachi watched as Madara destroyed part of the Akatsuki base in a fury, blowing things up, cutting walls, and generally wreaking havoc. Finally, the man stopped, as if remembering something and whirled around to face Itachi.

"What was that scream I heard while I was beating the jinchuuriki?"

Itachi looked at his sword and then back to Madara.

"That was Orochimaru breaking free. I found him trying to exit Sasuke's body while I retrieved Kisame. I trapped him in the genjutsu of my sword, in a world where he'll dream forever. He is no longer of consequence."

Madara nodded and sat down on a nearby rock.

"Good. That's one nuisance taken care of. But this is a setback. We needed Sasuke for our plans and now we'll be set back. A third Sharingan would have been useful."

"I still don't see what use he would have been."

Madara scoffed and put his chin in his hand.

"You wouldn't. Now leave me. I wish to be alone."

Itachi bowed and exited the room, leaving Madara to his dark thoughts.

'_You're so lucky, Uzumaki. So, so damn lucky that I need you alive for the moment.'_

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Naruto and Temari walked into the Hokage tower after two more days of rest, feeling much better than they had. Naruto had some things to discuss with Tsunade that bothered him…and find out what the populace thought of Sasuke's death.

They walked past several ninja, all who smiled and bowed at them to them. They returned the gestures and continued on down the hall to the stairs. Neither one knew why they were commanding such kind looks beyond the normal reasons.

Tsunade's secretary ushered them in immediately and shut the door behind them. Naruto turned when he heard the click and heard Temari squeal. He spun to find her hugging Gaara, the Kazekage not looking very amused. Tsunade watched the scene with amusement as Naruto walked forward and bowed to the two.

"Kazekage-sama, Hokage-sama."

Gaara sighed and pried his sister off of him while glaring at Naruto.

"What have I told you about that title?"

Naruto grinned and shrugged and Gaara closed his eyes as he sat down in a chair.

"It doesn't matter. Now, I've heard several things from Tsunade about your stay here. Why don't you enlighten me further?"

Naruto cleared his throat and took Temari's hand in his.

"Well, it started like this…"

**...you thought I was going to be predictable, didn't you? Thought ol' Sasuke was going to get away scott free, huh? Not in my story, you little kiddies! Biggest curveball of the story! Let me know what you think!**

**(And don't tell me that he died in a crappy way. Not all deaths are noble or grand.)**


	22. The Lackluster Rhyme Buster

And here's Chapter 22. I'd like all of you to bear with me. I'm not allowed on the Internet at work anymore. The Internet Nazis at the main office have deemed personal use too much, even though its only during lunch hours. So I'm only going to be updating on weekends until the local providers get off their asses and get hi speed internet in my area. I'm only three miles from their office, how hard could it be? Apparently, pretty hard. Fear not though, that just means that I'll have more time during the week to work on things...hopefully. This chapter is another cooldown chapter after that big fight. Kind of talky, but necessary. Filled with my wacky sense of humor though. Anyway, Enjoy. Readers, Reviewers, Thank You...**King of All Excuses**_ by Staind._

**CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO**

Temari and Tsunade screamed as Gaara's sand rose behind him and slammed into Naruto hard, thrusting him against the wall and holding him there. For Naruto, whose face hadn't changed from its impassiveness, it was business as usual, although there was a thin sheen of sweat on his face. He could practically taste the anger rolling off the Kazekage and, truth be told, it was somewhat frightening.

Gaara slowly and methodically walked forward until he and Naruto were face to face, their eyes never leaving the other. Temari and Tsunade had calmed down and were watching what was happening with wide eyes.

"What the hell were you thinking, Naruto?"

The blonde blinked and narrowed his eyes.

"I was catching and killing a dangerous criminal, Gaara. I couldn't let him get away."

The sand tightened around him further and Naruto winced.

"What you did was assault four Akatsuki members with no backup and no plan in mind. That was foolish."

"Well, it all worked out in the end."

The sand lifted him from the wall slightly and slammed him back against it. Temari screamed for Gaara to stop but he paid her no mind.

"What if it hadn't, Naruto? What if they would have captured you? What if Tsunade had not arrived in time?"

"But she did, so we're arguing over nothing."

Gaara's voice lowered itself to a whisper as he glared at his friend.

"If you had died, what would become of Temari? She loves you, Naruto. How would she handle the grief? How would I? Or Kankurou? What about Tsunade and Jiraiya? You mean something to all of us, Naruto, and you would have thrown that away just to make sure that Sasuke's sentence was carried out."

Naruto's head lowered so that his gaze would meet the floor.

"He hurt her."

"What?"

Temari strode forward and put her hand on Gaara's shoulder. He turned to meet her sad eyes.

"That's enough, Gaara. He did what he thought was right. Don't punish him for that."

The Kazekage turned to Naruto and sighed as he lowered him to the floor.

"Raise your head, Naruto. I'm mad at you as a friend and brother, not as a leader. You aren't being reprimanded."

Naruto raised his head and gave him a weak smile.

"Somehow, that knowledge only makes it hurt worse. I can handle authority being mad at me."

"Get used to it. I'm still mad at you, Naruto, so don't think you're off the hook. But, we have other things to discuss now."

Naruto nodded and made his way back to his overturned chair, righting it, and sitting down with Temari by his side again. He gave her a smile and took her hand in his, intertwining their fingers. She squeezed them reassuringly. Gaara watched the two of them out of the corner of his eye and a ghost of a grin came to his face. Yes, everything would be alright.

He turned back to Tsunade and coughed into his hand.

"In any event, we need to discuss what our next move is. Tsunade?"

Upon hearing her name, Tsunade tore her eyes away from the two lovebirds and laced her fingers under her chin.

"Well, I'm not sure. If Kisame is indeed dead, or at least incapacitated, that would leave only a few Akatsuki members. Perhaps we should press into Amegakure and try to kill them?"

Gaara sat for a moment, before shaking his head.

"We don't know anything about Amegakure, unfortunately, and we don't have the forces for a full scale invasion. I doubt we could muster up enough allies to do the deed either. No, we'll need to be smart about this. We have time to plan now though. They still don't have all the demons. Perhaps we should seek out the eight-tailed demon host. His, or her, help could be advantageous."

Tsunade nodded and leaned back in her chair, spinning to face the village.

"But would the jinchuuriki accept our help or offer? Not likely. We don't even know where they are anyway."

Temari sighed and crossed her right leg over her left.

"Then have Jiraiya get his spy network working. Jinchuurikis are normally a village's least hidden secret, even though they should be a top priority. It shouldn't take too long to find him."

Tsunade nodded her head and whipped the chair around to face Gaara.

"Alright, we'll do that. But who will we send to negotiate with him?"

Gaara snorted and pointed at the two blondes.

"Them. Naruto has an inate ability to talk to people and make them listen. Temari will keep him on task. They're perfect for the job. Besides, they're worthless to me right now since they're being lovey dovey with one another."

Two indignant 'Heys!' were ignored by the Kages. Tsunade nodded her consent to the plan.

"When will they start?"

"I think a small rest is in order. If you'll allow it, they can stay here for a few more days before heading out. Even if Naruto heals fast, Temari doesn't, and the human body needs time to recover even with the help of medical jutsu. I have to return to Suna tomorrow. Until then, I'll make sure that these two don't do anything tonight that could _exacerbate_ their wounds."

Naruto and Temari turned red, whether from anger or embarrassment, neither Kage could tell, but then again, they didn't care. Gaara rose from his seat, Temari and Naruto rising with him out of habit, and bowed to Tsunade.

"Well then, I'll just let these two show me a place to eat. I'm starving."

Tsunade sighed and waved them out, before glaring at the pile of paperwork before her. She picked the first page off the top and read it out loud.

_Petition by the Market District of Konoha to install more lighting so that we can sell our wares after dark…_

She growled and crumpled the paper into a ball before winging it into the wastebasket.

'_That's it. I'm going to start delegating more…tomorrow. I need a drink now.'_

She started to reach for her sake bottle and remembered what Tsubasa told her.

'_Shit! I forgot to tell him to contact the raccoon. Well…I'm hungry anyway and I want out of the office…I'll just eat lunch with those three.'_

Giving a yell at Shizune that she'd be back later, Tsunade grabbed her green jacket off the hook and walked out the door.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Temari sighed loudly as she walked between the two men, her arms wrapped around theirs. She couldn't shake the feeling that there was a confrontation boiling between the two and she wanted to avoid that at all costs. She had been unhappy with Naruto when he ran off after Akatsuki as well but realized that he felt obligated to do it. Gaara was not one to take such things lightly.

He knew how much Naruto meant to Temari and didn't want to see her hurt because of the boy's recklessness. Not to mention that he considered Naruto a friend and brother. It would have been a hard blow for him, his siblings, and Sunagakure. The blonde was important to too many people.

Thinking of the people of Suna led her to think of his students. They adored him. How would his death have affected them? A teacher was like a sage to students, dispensing helpful information, helping them where they were able, listening to problems. Teachers were invaluable to both children and the village alike and, as the premier teacher of Suna, Naruto would be irreplaceable.

Every person they passed bowed or nodded politely in their direction, some to her, some to Gaara, but most to Naruto. It only raised her ire more, that they would encourage his reckless actions. That's when she realized that she herself had not berated him for his rashness.

She had been so relieved that he was alright that her anger at his actions had not come to the forefront but now, that emotion was bubbling to the surface. She looked at Gaara and they locked eyes, sharing similar looks of disdain. With but a simple nodding of heads, she switched positions with Naruto so that he was in the middle.

He was so preoccupied with his thoughts that he didn't notice or sense the two flat palms headed for the back of his head.

**SMACK! SMACK!**

Naruto yelped and rolled forward, coming back up facing the siblings, who were both glaring at him. He growled at them and rubbed the back of his head.

"What the hell was that for?"

Temari, now incensed, walked forward and grabbed his collar, jerking him down to face her. He was about to yell again when he saw the tears prickling at the corner of her eyes. His mouth seemed to weld itself shut.

"Damn it, Naruto. How could you have been so reckless? What if they had caught you? Did you ever think of how we'd all be affected by that? It isn't just you that gets hurt if you get captured!"

The people that had been passing by on the street began to slow down and Gaara gave them all a hateful look and flared his sand behind him.

"I'd suggest you all move along."

The people scattered immediately and soon the whole street was deserted, except for the three Suna ninja. Gaara turned his attention back to find a wide-eyed Naruto staring at Temari, who had apparently been babbling while his attention was elsewhere.

"…and another thing, you jerk! You ran off without checking on me. How could you do that?"

"But sweetie, you had Tsunade…"

"I don't give a damn!"

Gaara felt a presence beside him and turned to find Tsunade looking at the scene with much amusement. He quirked an eyebrow and shrugged before turning back to the one-sided argument.

"I thought you had paperwork to do."

"Screw paperwork. This is much more entertaining, I was hungry, and I have to tell Naruto something that I forgot to tell him in the office."

"…and you haven't even apologized yet!"

"But Temari, I can't apologize if I can't get a word in!"

"You got a few words in then, you asshole!"

Tsunade snorted and covered her mouth. Temari was really letting him have it. Amusing as it was, however, she couldn't have the two blondes fighting in her streets.

Temari was taking a deep breath to launch back into Naruto when she heard a slow clapping behind her and turned her head to find a bemused Hokage, with a curious Gaara behind her. The blonde girl flushed red and dropped Naruto into the dust. He huffed and pushed himself back to his feet.

"Um…Tsunade-sama…I'm sorry…"

Tsunade gave the stammering girl a warm smile and waved her hand dismissively.

"Oh hush. I enjoy watching Naruto get verbally castrated by someone other than Sakura or myself. It's nice to know that you don't let him get away with everything."

Temari offered up an embarrassed smile while Naruto glared at Tsunade. The Hokage grinned cheekily and clapped her hands together.

"So, what say we find someplace to eat? Preferably with a fine selection of alchohol."

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For some reason, Jiraiya seemed to sniff them out and by the time they reached the restaurant, the Toad Sage was right alongside them. Naruto had wanted Ichiraku's but it was shot down in favor of a finer eating establishment.

One with a fine assortment of wines, beers, and of course, sake.

Once everyone was settled in and a couple rounds of drinks had been served, Jiraiya locked eyes with Naruto and became serious.

"So…I hear that you're going to try to recruit the eight tail's jinchuuriki."

Naruto's drink had been halfway to his mouth when Jiraiya spoke and he sat it down with a frown.

"I have never understood how you always know things ahead of time."

Jiraiya grinned and tapped his ear.

"I keep this to the ground. It also doesn't hurt that toads are all over the place. They see a lot and all it takes is one of the summon toads to translate…or an inate ability to communicate with nature…"

Naruto nodded his head in understanding and Jiraiya quirked his eyebrow, waiting for an answer.

"Yeah, we are. It was Baa-chan and Gaara's idea. Temari and I will be going to talk to him, try to convince him to join us."

Jiraiya shook his head and swirled his sake.

"He won't. He's fiercely private and hates to be bothered."

Naruto thumped his head on the table in defeat. Usually when Jiraiya said no to something, it was because he'd already tried…or he'd known someone who tried and didn't think it was possible. Temari rubbed Naruto's back consolingly and watched as he raised his head off the table and rested his chin on the wood, looking from one to the other.

"I still gotta go though. It would be a wasted opportunity to get someone powerful on our side…not to mention give Akatsuki a fucking headache."

Temari nodded in agreement and sipped at her wine. The food that she ate only made her wish Naruto had cooked instead. The beef was undercooked and the vegetables had been steamed too long. How she wanted to be home with Naruto in the kitchen…in an apron…

"…ari. Temari! What do you think?"

She shook herself from her thoughts of a half naked Naruto, an apron, and a bowl of whipped cream, and glanced around, noticing with embarrassment that they were obviously waiting for her answer.

"Um…what were we talking about?"

Gaara sighed and shook his head.

"You can't afford to be hormonal if you're going with Naruto, Temari. Get your mind out of the gutter."

Her mouth opened slightly in disbelief and she growled out her reply.

"My mind was _not_ in the gutter."

"Then explain why your nose is bleeding ever so slightly."

Temari grabbed a spoon from the table and looked at her reflection in it, before dropping the silverware and dabbing at her nose with a napkin. She glared at a snickering Jiraiya.

"Not a fucking word, pervert."

The older man merely grinned and sipped his sake innocently.

"I'm not the one bleeding from the nose, m'dear."

Naruto put his hand over Temari's to calm her, lest she assault his mentor.

"Since we've been assigned to do this, do you have any info on where he is?"

Jiraiya scoffed and leaned back in his chair.

"Have you forgotten who you're talking to, brat? I'm the Great…"

"Yeah, yeah, Toad Sage, Super Perv, yadda yadda yadda…where is he?"

Jiraiya grunted and slurped his sake again.

"Well, if you're going to be rude, I'm not telling you anything. Get your own information, ya little bastard."

Naruto sighed and put his head in his hands.

"Ero-Sennin…"

"Nope, not this time. Respect is something to be given, Naruto, as is information."

Tsunade reached under the table and Jiraiya grinned pervertedly for a moment before releasing a high-pitched squeal and whimpering. Everyone looked at him curiously as he squeeked out his answer.

"Ok, ok, he's in a shack up on a mountain in Kumo! Now, let me go!"

Tsunade brought her hand back onto the tabletop and poured Jiraiya another cup of sake before giving it to him while smiling sweetly.

"See? Was that so hard?"

Jiraiya just glared at her and sucked down his sake, holding out his dish for another pour. Naruto, seeing he wasn't going to get anything else, rose from his seat, Temari rising with him.

"Well, I guess we'll go to Hinata's house and start packing to go."

Gaara grabbed his wrist before he could leave.

"Do not be hasty. My sister still needs rest and so do you. You will leave in one week and not a day sooner. The jinchuuriki will still be there."

Temari was not convinced.

"But Gaara, time…"

"Is on our side. Akatsuki has taken a blow and will take time to recover. Madara will have to regroup and replan. He was not planning to take you here. You are the last on their list. They'll try for the eight tails next, but they'll need strength, and Hoshigake is a valuable member. If he is not dead, they will spend time to heal him."

She nodded her head in consent, but she was not happy. She didn't want to be in Konoha anymore and she was sure Naruto didn't either. Before the two blondes could exit though, Tsunade called them back.

"Naruto, I nearly forgot to tell you something important. You need to contact Tsubasa again. He wants to talk to you about something."

He nodded and wrapped his arm around Temari's waist as they walked out. Tsunade watched them leave with a sigh while swirling her wine glass.

"Ah, young love…"

Jiraiya grinned and downed his sake.

"But what about 'old love'?"

"You're just lucky I love you enough to actually even consider touching you."

A cough from beside them brought their attention to a disturbed Gaara, who rose from his seat quickly.

"I believe I shall retire as well. I've...heard enough."

Jiraiya watched the Kazekage leave with a twinkle in his eye.

"Dumb kid. If he'd of stuck around, he might have learned something."

He turned back to a flustered Tsunade and his grin lessened.

"What?"

"You're sleeping on the couch tonight."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Naruto and Temari went to a secluded training ground, one that didn't look like it had been used in a few months, and Naruto bade her to stand back, citing that he didn't know what kind of mood Tsubasa would be in. She stepped back, he flipped through the hand signs, and with a cry, a large poof of smoke heralded Tsubasa's arrival.

**Hello, young ones. It is good to see you again, and especially you, Temari. I hope you are in good health?**

Temari nodded and bowed to the raccoon.

"Hai, Tsubasa-sama."

**No need for that, young one. Naruto…where is Sanzoku?**

Naruto shrugged nonchalantly.

"I dunno. Haven't seen him since this morning."

**Hm…allow me to rectify this.**

Tsubasa closed his eyes and flipped through a few seals of his own and with a smaller poof, Sanzoku arrived, curled up asleep on the ground.

**Sanzoku…wake up. **

The small red panda looked up sleepily and squeeked when it saw who was before it.

**Tsubasa-sama! Forgive me! I didn't realize you were…here…um…where are we?**

Tsubasa sighed, his breath rattling the treetops as he gazed upon his smaller subject.

**We are in a clearing in Konohagakure. I must say, you have become quite lazy in your time with Naruto. Do you need to be replaced?**

**No, Tsubasa-sama. Of course not.**

"Aw, leave him alone, Tsubasa. His laziness is somewhat endearing."

The giant raccoon turned his gaze on Naruto and his eyes hardened.

**Indeed. Now then, you and I must speak.**

Naruto blinked and swallowed nervously.

"Um, ok."

**You summoned me the other day without warning to assisst you in a battle. While I do not mind, our deal was that you would restore Suna to her original glory. Why have you not fulfilled that obligation yet?**

"Look, I'm getting there. It's not so cut and dry as just doing it. I can do it to the desert, but it takes time. I need water sources and digging for them is slow work. I'm trying."

…**alright. I believe you. It has been long since I put so much faith in a human, Naruto. Don't make it so that my faith is misguided.**

Naruto puffed up indignantly.

"I would do no such thing. I'm a man of my word, Tsubasa. When I say I'll do something, you can count on me accomplishing it."

Tsubasa looked from Naruto to Sanzoku. Naruto stood proudly with his chest out. Sanzoku was seated on his rump with his head bowed in respect. The raccoon regent turned his gaze upon Temari and gave her a toothy grin.

**And you, young lady? Do you believe my faith in your chosen is misguided?**

Temari shook her head vehemently, her ponytails flopping, and gave Tsubasa an emphatic 'no'. The giant summon nodded his head and grinned at all three.

**That is all I needed, a reaffirmation of your loyalty to the raccoons and the knowledge that you were still upholding our bargain. Call on me again should you need my services…and I'm quite sure you will. It has been a long time since any prey escaped my clutches.**

Naruto sighed in relief and grinned up at Tsubasa.

"How did they escape from you?"

**I'm not entirely sure. One second they were there, the next they weren't. It might have been genjutsu. I'm just not sure. Well, I must be off. Remember to call on me if you need any more assistance.**

Temari and Naruto covered their faces when Tsubasa dispelled himself, forcing a giant wave of wind and smoke to cover them. Sanzoku anchored himself to the ground and covered his nose with his paws. Once the wind had died down, Naruto scooped the red panda onto his shoulder and wrapped his arm around Temari again.

"Let's go home. I'm taking a shower and going to bed. Care to join me?"

Temari grinned and nestled into his side more.

"Oh, absolutely."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Gaara went home the following day, with instructions that once they had finished their mission of contacting the eight tail's jinchuuriki, they were to report to Tsunade and then return home to Suna immediately.

They really, really liked that order.

They said goodbye to all their friends in Konoha and struck out on the road to Kumo. Jiraiya had been able to find the name of the mountain they should be looking for, one Mt. Unraikyo.

They would need to be careful on their trip to Kumo. Konoha was not well liked in that place and Suna, as an ally, was about as welcome as a rat in a corn bin. They would need to be careful as well with the jinchuuriki. There was no telling if he was stable or not. Or if he would even accept their invitation.

It was a long six days to Kumo, but it was refreshing for the two to be out on their own, with no one watching over them. Days were spent in idle chatter and plans for the future. Naruto was planning on starting on his house when they got back. He said it had been too long since he'd had his own place. Temari wasn't happy about that until a certain memory hit her. Naruto wanted her to move in with him.

She excitedly asked him how long it would take and he said less than a week. He'd been reading up on construction practices and with his Kage Bunshin, it would be nothing at all. Plus, he'd save money doing everything himself. It was a sound plan.

Temari just wanted Akatsuki to leave them the hell alone. Her whole life she had been unhappy and when Gaara started acting normal, it had a snowball effect. She started to be genuinely happy for the first time in her life and when Naruto came along…she could say it felt good to be a woman around someone, not just a hardass bitch.

She had been scared to death when Naruto ran off after Akatsuki. Thoughts of his capture and subsequent death had run rampant through her mind. When she woke up next to him and heard his soft breathing, she had simply collapsed against him in relief. Now though, she wanted to get this mission over with and get back to Suna. Once he had the house built, she would get to do something she'd never done before…shopping for furniture. Oh sure, she'd picked out things for the compound before, but never for herself.

Naruto was thinking along the same lines as Temari. He wanted this mission over with. He had something to build when he got back home. His own house. Not an apartment, not a shack, not a bedroom with friends, but his own, real house. The only component he wanted in the house for sure was Temari. He'd sleep on wooden floors if it meant she was there.

Mt. Unraikyo revealed itself through the fog in the distance and Naruto shivered at its size. Most assuredly, the jinchuuriki would be all the way at the top or at least close to it. He hated Kumo already. It seemed to be nothing but limitless mountain ranges with thunderstorms thrown in. The two blondes stopped at the base of the mountain and looked up. They could barely see something protruding out of the side of the mountain, about three quarters of the way up.

That had to be it. They shared a nod and began bouncing up the rocks, forsaking the path. It was much easier to stick to the rocks with chakra than to spend all day walking a winding path. Within twenty minutes they landed on the precipice outside the small shack. Naruto and Temari looked around for a moment and found nothing.

"Huh. Guess he's not here."

A low rumble came from inside the shack and Temari looked inside the door, only to scramble backwards, falling on her butt and backing into Naruto's knees. He looked down at her curiously as she looked up at him.

"What was that all about?"

"There's something in there and it isn't human!"

Naruto frowned and made his way over to the door, peeking inside. All he could see was darkness.

"I don't see…"

A fist met his nose and he stumbled backward, clutching it as blood ran through his fingers. Temari jumped to her feet and pulled her fan from behind her back, her head snapping back and forth, trying to watch both Naruto and whoever had hit him.

A dark hand found its way to the doorframe and a groan was heard as the individual stepped outside into the sunlight.

"Oh goddamn, I hate the sun. People visiting in the day isn't any fun."

Temari blinked at the bad rhyme and watched as the large, black man stretched and bent in several directions. Her analytical mind observed the many swords on his back and she quickly classified him as a kenjutsu master, not just an expert. They were ill equipped to fight such an opponent, especially in his element. A quick snapping sound let her know that Naruto had finally reset his nose and he stepped up beside her.

Naruto let out a sigh and observed their mission. He was an odd one, his face contorting this way and that and his body seemed to be in constant motion as if moving to some unheard rhythm. The man constantly shielded his eye from the sun as he looked at them.

"I was sleeping back there in my own little world. Now what brings you up here, you rude blonde boy and blonde girl?"

Naruto noticed that the man was trying to rap and was doing it badly and snickered. It was kind of a cool way to talk, he thought.

Temari wrinkled her nose in disgust. Why the hell did she have to meet so many wierdos in her life? Was it so much to ask for one to talk normally? Seeing Naruto had a goofy grin on his face, she realized she'd have to be the spokesperson.

"We're ninja from Sunagakure. We've come to offer you our help in exchange for yours."

"Oh really, fly little honey? I don't do nothing for free, that costs time and money."

Temari sighed when she heard Naruto snicker again and rubbed her temples.

"Could you please speak normally, sir? This is serious business. We're here to tell you about an organization that is trying to capture all the bijuu and jinchuuriki."

"Hachi Kira is no fool. Avoid the Akatsuki is the golden rule."

Naruto smiled at the man.

"Is Hachi Kira your name?"

The black man nodded and bobbed his head up and down.

"Hachi Kira is the name. Ask me again and I'll tell you the same."

Temari covered her eyes with her right hand and leaned against her fan.

"Sir, please, stop."

The man, now identified as Hachi Kira, stopped gyrating and looked at Temari. She thanked whatever gods were listening and coughed into her hand.

"We've come here to speak with you about a possible alliance to defeat the Akatsuki. You are a part of their plans and, well frankly, we need your help. You're a lot more experienced than most in dealing with a bijuu and since you have the second most powerful one we thought you could help Naruto, my companion. He's…"

Kira was now standing stock-still and looking at Naruto with intensity. She was about to speak again, when he held his hand up.

"I know who he is, little lady. We've met once before, but neither of us knew what the other was."

Naruto nodded his head.

"That Kumo bar, right? The one you got tossed out of for rapping badly while drunk?"

Kira's mouth turned up in a small sneer.

"They just don't appreciate good rhymes. Come inside, we'll talk there. The sun is murder on my eyes."

Temari swung her fan to her back and set it into place.

"Will you stop rhyming and speak normally?"

Kira turned in the doorway and grinned at her.

"Does it bother you, little lady?"

"Somewhat, yes."

"Then, yes, I'll rhyme. All the time. When I'm in a bind. When I'm in a line. Anything just to mess with your mind."

Naruto and Kira both laughed as Temari grit her teeth and stomped her foot in annoyance. Naruto watched as Kira disappeared into the inky blackness and kissed Temari on the cheek.

"He's just doing it to annoy you, Temari. I think he likes you. You're probably the first woman he's seen in months."

She huffed and followed him inside. There was nothing in the shack, it was just a cover that led into a cave. A light suddenly flared up and they saw Kira lighting a lamp and hanging it from a stalactite. He turned to them and folded his arms as he sat on a boulder.

"Well, you came here for a reason. Let's hear it."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Kisame coughed and leaned over the bed to spit out the black glob of blood and poison that had been coursing through his system. He had never felt so weak in all his life and thanked his lucky stars that Itachi had gotten to him when he did. His physiology normally took care of poisons, but this one was foreign and tougher than most.

He spit up another glob of blood and laid back on his pillow.

"I'll kill that bastard. He'll never know what happened. No, he'll know. I'll hold him down and skin him alive with Samehada."

"I don't believe I've ever seen you so weak, Kisame. I could kill you now and no one would even know."

Kisame looked up over his chest and saw Pein and Konan standing in the doorway. He coughed again and simply laid his head back.

"Leader-sama. To what do I owe the pleasure?"

"You observed first hand something unheard of. Tobi, Itachi, and Zetsu told me what they saw, but you experienced it firsthand. Tell me about Uzumaki's new power."

Kisame groaned and barely was able to lean over the bed before coughing up a large amount of blood. He couldn't wait to be fully healed.

"Well, he commanded the plants…"

Pein's eyes hardened and he glared down at the shark-man.

"Go on."

**There we go. Let me know what you think.**


	23. My skills are more madder than yours

And here's Chapter 23. You know, this is a transition chapter. Still important and I even got some character development in there! Imagine that. Anyway, I hope you enjoy this offering. Readers, Reviewers, Thank you…**Then The Morning Comes**_ by Smashmouth._

**_And remember to stop by the poll and check it out. Vote for the one that sounds most interesting to you, not the one that everyone is voting for. Thanks in advance._**

**CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE**

Temari finished up the story with a flourish, pointing her finger into the air.

"And that's what all has happened, Kira-san. The story ends with us trying to find you."

Kira nodded his head resolutely, his glasses bobbing slightly as he leaned back against the boulder.

"You still haven't told me what exactly this 'alliance' you want with me is."

Temari took a deep breath, praying that he wouldn't break into any more bad rhymes, and coughed to get his attention.

"We want you to help us take out Akatsuki. We're not sure what their true goal is, only the superficial ones. We need you to help us so that those goals don't become reality."

Kira snorted and put his arms behind his head.

"I dunno. Sounds like a marriage of convenience to me. What do I get out of this?"

Naruto's voice grew serious as he took a half step forward.

"Your life."

Kira's eyes snapped over to the other jinchuuriki.

"Is that a threat?"

"No, it's a fact. Akatsuki will kill you and then leave your soulless husk to rot. At least if we're together, then we have a chance to survive."

"I've survived so far. I doubt they even know where to look for me."

Temari blinked and her lips curled into a tiny sneer.

"We knew how to find you. All it takes is the right person gathering information. If we can find you, they can find you."

Kira grinned and sat upright on the boulder.

"There's a profound difference between me and other hosts though, missy. Other hosts fight the demon. I didn't. I accepted it as part of me."

Temari and Naruto were at a loss for words and Kira took that for disbelief.

"Don't you understand? I'm in perfect harmony with my bijuu. I don't fight it, I don't insult it, I don't ignore it. I made peace with it. There is no host. There is no demon. There is only Hachi Kira. I _am_ the Hachibi!"

Naruto leaned forward, awed by this.

"So you mean…you can control your beast?"

"In a manner of speaking. It's more like we coexist, just to exist. Without one cog pushing the other, the clock doesn't work. We both need to turn in rhythm to keep going."

Temari put a finger to her chin.

'_Explains his love of rap and rhythm.'_

"I don't need a group to protect me. I'm perfectly fine on my own."

Naruto frowned and shook his head.

"Let me share a little information with you."

Kira leaned forward, his hands on his knees.

"There is a certain spider living in Suna, and the rest of the world, known as the Grand Daddy Long Legs. It is a very small, unassuming spider that children play with and laugh at. It is the most poisonous spider in the world and yet, it cannot harm those bigger than it, because its mouth is too small to bite the person holding it. So, one of the most dangerous beasts in the world is helpless against those who would be victims to its mighty poison."

He cast his gaze upon Kira and glared.

"We jinchuuriki are like this. The strong can be toppled by the weak. Humans have no natural poison, no natural defense, except for our minds. We can make conscious decisions that go beyond the natural norm. Most of the time it actually clouds our judgment, but this is one time where it shouldn't. We're the spider, Kira, and the Akatsuki are the mean children who would pull off our legs. Seperately, we can accomplish little, but if two of us were to band together, we could take them. After all, we hold the strongest of the bijuu."

Kira threw back his head and laughed long and hard. Temari grew angry when it showed no sign of stopping and slammed her hand on the rock, making an echoing sound, to stop him.

"What's so damn funny? We're being serious here!"

Kira stopped laughing and locked eyes with the blond wind mistress.

"Do you really believe that tails denote how powerful these beasts are? Think about it. They're nothing more than chakra constructs. Shukaku was insane, but he could have easily been one of the most powerful bijuu. His power to control sand was most formidable. There is sand everywhere, and where there isn't, it doesn't take much to make it. Other bijuu have powers. What does the Kyuubi have?"

He looked at the two blondes as they sat in confusion, waiting for his answer.

"Power. Total, unrivaled power. Mastery over nothing, just enough raw power to do anything and be good at none of it. How else do you explain a disaster of nature being stopped? How many people can stop a hurricane? Or a tsunami? No one. You can't stop nature."

Naruto smiled and kicked himself off the wall he'd been leaning against.

"How about a wager then? Since you're being contrary, and we can't go home empty-handed, I propose that we have a…contest."

Kira perked up immediately, as did Temari.

"Contest? What kind of contest?"

"I'm going to show you that nature _can_ be controlled. I'll show you my talent, in good faith, and you show me yours. An inate ability that you have. Show me your strength, what you're known for, and I'll show you mine. If you win, we'll leave. If I win, you come back with us."

Kira nodded his head and walked towards the darker parts of the cave.

"Give me a moment to think about that. I'll be right back."

Temari calmly walked over and grabbed Naruto by his ear, jerking it down to where she could speak in it. He protested her abuse of his poor ear and she twisted it a bit harder.

"What are you thinking? We want him to come with us! What if you don't win this contest?"

Naruto whined a little more and squinted his eyes.

"He wasn't coming with us otherwise. We can't force him to come. Alliances don't work like that. He needs to come willingly and this is a surefire way to get him to do it."

Sanzoku, who had been knocked from his perch around Naruto's neck when he was hit by Kira's punch earlier, crawled out of the shadows and up Temari's side, letting himself curl around her shoulders.

**Are you sure that you can win, Boss? Your luck hasn't exactly been very forthcoming lately.**

"I'm alive, aren't I? What more proof do you need?"

Kira chose that moment to emerge from the darkness and blinked when he saw Sanzoku.

"I didn't think you had a fur wrap when you came in, little lady."

**I'm not a wrap, you imbecile. I'm a summon.**

"Holy shit! That thing talks!"

He walked over and began poking Sanzoku all over, getting all manner of little grunts and growls out of the agitated red panda.

"Never seen a fur wrap that could talk. Or move. That's weird as hell."

**I'm not a fur wrap, you poor excuse for a poet!**

Kira's eyes narrowed and his backbone straightened.

"Are you dissing my rhymes?"

**Yes! Your rhymes suck!**

Kira backed away and stuck his finger in Sanzoku's nose.

"You take that back! My rhymes are fresh and funky! They're funky fresh!"

**They're funky because they're **_**not**_** fresh, you idiot!**

Temari listened with a smirk as the two argued, rubbing her hand along Sanzoku's back. She and the furball might not always see eye to eye, but at least he could recognize bad lyrics as well as she could. She'd have to remember to give him a treat when they got home.

Kira and Sanzoku were now nose-to-nose and snarling at each other. Sanzoku had unwrapped himself from Temari's shoulders and had his front paws resting on her head, growling at Kira. Temari, for once, didn't mind since Sanzoku was belittling a man who annoyed her.

**Just admit that you're not any good at rhyming and I'll stop saying you suck.**

"Well, you're so quick to pass judgment, why don't you bust out a rhyme, you freaking throw rug?"

**I know _I _can't rap! I'm saying you shouldn't!**

Naruto sighed and stepped between the two.

"Sanzoku, be quiet. Kira, what is your decision?"

Sanzoku immediately clammed up with a huff and wrapped himself around Temari's shoulders as he glared at the large black man, receiving a scratch behind his ears as reward for ruffling Kira's feathers. Kira blinked and turned his head to look at Naruto.

"Quite a presence you got there. What's your profession?"

Naruto grinned and cracked his knuckles.

"If you come with us, I'll tell you. Now, your skill?"

Kira nodded and sighed while walking toward the entrance.

"We're going to need to be outside for this. It's too cramped in here."

He stepped outside and his hand covered his eyes immediately.

"Oh, hairy balls of the gods, it's bright out here! Goddamn ball of fire, circling the goddamn earth…why don't you snuff out!"

Naruto and Temari followed the grumbling jinchuuriki out, shielding their eyes from the brightness after being in the dark so long. Kira stretched and contorted himself before pointing at Naruto.

"I need your help. Come over here."

Naruto quirked an eyebrow.

"Why?"

"Because to groove right, you gotta have a partner."

Naruto blanched and took a half step back, slightly behind Temari.

"I don't swing that way! I'm dating her!"

Kira froze and turned to the blonde, his glare clearly felt through his sunglasses.

"Not like that, you idiot! I'm talking about my skill! Now get over here or I'm just going to go back inside and not listen to you anymore."

Naruto ambled over and stood before the irritated jinchuuriki. Kira took a deep breath and settled into a fighting stance.

"Attack me."

Naruto blinked owlishly.

"What?"

"Attack me. Don't strike for earnest, you know, to kill, and neither will I. I'm going to show you my skill. I promise that you'll feel the blade, but it will not cut you. I need you to set the beat so I can get my groove on."

Naruto nodded once and rushed forward, jabbing out at Kira. The black man began to nod his head to an unheard beat, his shoulders bobbing, and his face set into a grin. Before Naruto could even see, the man had drawn a sword and jabbed it forward, tapping it against Naruto's cheek. The blonde leapt back as Kira's body gyrated to his own rhythm.

Without warning, Kira threw the rest of his swords into the air and ran for Naruto, slashing this way and that. Naruto felt the dull edge of the sword touch him and shivered, knowing that it could just as well have shaved some skin from him. He leapt away again and watched as Kira took up a crane position and the swords dropped into place. One in each hand, one in his mouth, one in each fold of his arms, one caught and held in the fold of his uplifted right knee, and one held under his left armpit.

Temari and Sanzoku watched with awe as Kira began to pinwheel around, the swords sometimes flying into the air, only to be caught on the way down as another sword began its own ascent. Naruto was kept in constant motion and Kira, the self proclaimed 'Killer Bee', never stopped moving, always keeping in time with that unheard beat. Naruto kept moving backwards and in a circle, lest he fall off the plateau they were on.

With a final lurch, Naruto was backed against the edge of the plateau and Kira was turned sideways, his glasses revealing him looking at Naruto out of the corner of his eyes. He stood in the crane stance again, all the swords pointing at Naruto. The one that had been under his left armpit was gone, but it was quickly found again as it fell from the sky and the dull edge slid down Naruto's back, landing in the rock and embedding itself.

The two Suna shinobi and Sanzoku all spoke in a hushed, awed voice.

"Whoa."

"Damn."

**Sheee-iiitt.**

Kira flipped backwards, launching all the swords into the air and then knelt down. The three were awed further as all the swords landed in their respective sheathes and Kira stood upright again, a smug grin on his face.

"I didn't think springing my bijuu on you would be a fair thing, since we can both do that to an extent. My art of the sword is unbeatable and, if I may say so, pretty damn impressive. That was just my warm-up dance. The true tango is much more deadly and much, _much_…"

The three leaned in, waiting for what he was about to say.

"…more sexy. It's all in the skill, sucker, cause I'm a righteous, bad motherfu…"

Temari and Sanzoku stepped forward, growling as one.

"You finish that horrible lyric and I'll bash your head in."

**What she doesn't bash, I'll bite.**

Kira looked at the ground deflated, mumbling to himself.

"No one appreciates good rhymes."

He bounced back quickly, though, and pointed his finger at Naruto.

"Beat that, boy! Unless you can really harness nature like you said, you ain't got nothing! I know about your Rasengan. That doesn't count!"

Naruto looked around at the rocky terrain and then to Temari and Sanzoku. Both gave him a wry grin. He turned back to Kira and smirked.

"Tell me, Hachi Kira, can plant life grow up here on the mountain?"

Kira was taken aback by this and cocked his eyebrow quizzically.

"Not much. Some wild brush, but nothing else. Why?"

Naruto didn't answer and instead held his hand out in front of him. Kira's eyes went wide when Naruto's staff erupted from the stone and leapt into his hand. He quickly schooled his features back to indifference.

"If that was your technique, it was a cool trick, but nothing special…"

"That wasn't my ability."

Kira turned his head to the side slightly, his lips in a thin line.

"Then what is?"

Naruto's answer was to chuckle and close his eyes as a thin green aura began to envelop his body…

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Kira sighed as they walked along the road back to Konoha, his hands firmly implanted in his pockets.

"I can't believe I was outdone by a schoolteacher. A _Chuunin_ schoolteacher, no less. Man, that sucks."

Temari giggled from her spot beside the man and he threw a hateful glare at her.

"What the hell are you laughing at?"

Temari smiled at the man, her spirit high. They had succeeded in their mission and once they'd checked in with the Hokage, they'd be able to go home. She hadn't felt this good in a while.

"Oh, nothing. I just think that you'll like getting out and about. You've been on that mountain for quite a while from what you've told us. It'll do you good to see some new places."

"I happen to like my privacy, little lady. Besides, you'd be surprised what I can hear up on that mountaintop. I hear all kinds of things."

Temari leaned forward, suddenly interested.

"Oh? Like what?"

"I've heard all about your boyfriend and his vendetta against the Akatsuki and the Uchiha brothers. The news that carries on the wind is somewhat old, but I do learn of the outside world. It keeps me…sane."

He sighed and kicked a stone out of his path. Naruto and Temari were both listening intently now while Sanzoku slept.

"I wasn't one of the jinchuuriki who was abused, or threatened, or anything of that sort. I was ignored to the fullest, sent up to that fake shrine, and left. Someone would bring me some food every now and then, but I quickly learned that they didn't want to speak to me. I was to be taught swordsmanship and the abilities of the ninja. That was all. Nothing more, nothing less. I was to be their trump card, their ace in the hole, their secret weapon."

"They sent the best swordsmen of Kumo to teach me how to handle blades. Soon, there was nothing else they could teach me. _I_ was the best. So, they sent the best ninjutsu masters to teach me how to handle my element, Raiton. Soon, there was also nothing left to teach me in that respect and I was alone again. Then, _it_ spoke to me."

"It tried to take over my body, but I would not cave. I tried to force it into submission, but it would not submit. After many years, we came to a conclusion. We were both stuck together, forever, and there was nothing we could do about it. So, we agreed to…bond."

Naruto perked up and his ears twitched in anticipation.

"Bond?"

Kira nodded and turned his attention back to the road.

"Yeah, bond. He would give me his power and I would give him mine. Essentially, there is no Hachibi anymore and there is no Kira. So, we became Hachi Kira, an amalgamation of the best of both. His power and my slick rhymes."

Temari sighed and readjusted her fan since it was digging into her back.

"I don't know about the slick rhymes, but your life has been typical of a jinchuuriki. Loneliness, fear, hatred…these all seem to be commonplace things. My brother had it worst, I think. Our own father kept trying to have him assassinated."

Kira nodded his head and pushed his glasses back up on his nose.

"The host of Shukaku. I've heard that his bijuu no longer inhabits his body. How is that possible?"

Naruto watched a civilian couple pass them by and then turned to Kira again.

"The woman who originally sealed Shukaku into him sacrificed her life with a rebirth jutsu so that he could live again. Now he has the power over sand, but Shukaku isn't tormenting him anymore."

Kira nodded and the three walked on in silence for quite a while. As they neared a town and dark began to settle, Kira looked up at the appearing moon and smiled sadly.

"I don't know what I'd do if I were to suddenly find myself without my bijuu. It's been with me all my life. When I was lonely, at least I knew it was there. Despite the hardships it has brought upon me, it has given me other comforts."

He turned to Naruto once more.

"What would you feel if you woke up tomorrow and the Kyuubi was gone?"

Temari and a now awake Sanzoku listened intently as Naruto stared straight ahead.

"I wouldn't know what to do. The bijuu can't just disappear from the world, so that would mean that he's loose. I wouldn't ever let that happen."

He cast his gaze upon the rest of his group, his face grim.

"I wouldn't wish this curse on anyone else. I'm not sure anyone else could handle it. I wouldn't even wish the Kyuubi on another jinchuuriki."

Kira smiled and winced at the loudness of the town. He was going to hate this, he could tell. Sleep would not be forthcoming.

"I see we're of like minds then. These things are both a curse and a blessing, making us neither angel nor demon. We are something else entirely."

Temari wrapped her arm around Naruto's and squeezed it.

"You're both human. You're humans with a burden that none of the rest of us could shoulder. That's what makes you strong."

Naruto smiled down at her and squeezed her arm. Kira looked on with a smirk at the happy couple.

**See what I gotta put up with all the time?**

"If you think that's disgusting, then by all means, live by yourself for your whole life. Seeing that just gives me hope that someone will shower me with affection someday. Of course, they have to love me and my…Dope rap! Cause Kira is a party that's always on tap! People hear my flow and all come on the run! Wherever the Killer Bee's standing is the spot with all the fun!"

Temari palmed her face, mostly to hide the embarrassment since they had just entered the town and people were beginning to stare.

"Please, someone, anyone shut him up."

Naruto just laughed and kissed her cheek.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Tsunade sat at her desk, pondering on whether or not to risk taking a sip of sake, when she heard a familiar voice outside her door.

"I don't care what her schedule says! You open that damn door or I'll kick it in!"

Her secretary, a chuunin who was only recently promoted, sounded very angry.

"And I don't care who you think you are! You two are Suna shinobi and he's a shinobi of Kumo! I don't know who you think you are, but you aren't getting in without an appointment!"

Tsunade was just about to get up and let the chuunin know who was at the door, when the door to her office warped and bent suddenly before tearing off her hinges and flying right for her. Tsunade watched it come and flung her hand out, knocking the heavy oaken door aside and through the window, where it landed with a boom on the street below, sending bystanders scattering.

She smirked when she saw what was on the other side of the door. Naruto stood sideways in the doorway with his hand outstretched, the remainders of the chakra from the Rasengan still wisping around his hands, as the chuunin stood gape-mouthed.

"You owe me a door, Naruto."

Temari shook her head in exasperation and muscled her way around Naruto, dragging Kira with her. Tsunade raised an eyebrow as she looked the well-muscled man up and down.

Kira caught that Tsunade was appraising him and grinned at her, waggling his eyebrows.

"So, you checking out ol' Hachi Kira, huh? Well, Hachi Kira only has one question for you beautiful…"

Temari grimaced and held her breath. She prayed he wasn't about to look foolish in front of the Hokage…

"…do I make you randy? Dandy? Hope you got a sweet tooth, cause I'm sweet like…"

Temari clapped a hand over his mouth as Tsunade's eyes grew wide. Kira glared at Temari for ruining his flow and slowly closed his mouth. Tsunade regained her composure and leaned forward.

"What the hell was that?"

"It's the way Kira talks. He has an affinity for…rhyming in his speech."

Tsunade looked at Naruto out of the corner of her eyes and then back to Kira.

"Please refrain from speaking like that in my presence. It's…annoying."

Kira sighed and hung his head in defeat.

"Nobody appreciates my rhymes."

Naruto patted Kira on the back, consoling him, while Temari shook her head and addressed the Hokage.

"Tsunade-sama, this is Hachi Kira, the host of the Eight-tailed Beast. He's agreed…"

"I was suckered."

Temari sighed and continued on.

"…agreed to help us. At least…he's agreed to come to Suna with us. We'll figure out more there."

Tsunade nodded her head and stood.

"Well then, I welcome you, Hachi Kira, to Konohagakure no Sato. How long will you be staying before returning to Suna, you three?"

"One night. No need to alert Hinata. We'll just get hotel rooms tonight. We've been away from home for too long."

Tsunade winced and averted her eyes to Naruto for a moment. He simply stared ahead, not seeming to care. A small, wistful sigh escaped her lips, which Kira caught. His eyes darted from one blonde to the next, storing that information in his head to ask later. Tsunade nodded her head and walked around the desk, enveloping Naruto in a hug.

"Come see us again later, brat. You don't have to be a stranger just because you live in Suna."

Naruto hugged her back and let go, his arms falling to his side. His eyes locked with Kira's suspicious ones for a moment as he led the way to the door and held it open for the others.

"Let's get lunch, huh? I'm starving."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Naruto felt small all through lunch as Kira looked at him with new intensity. It seemed he had suddenly become a puzzle to his new ally that the man couldn't figure out. As they checked into their hotel, Kira grabbed Naruto before he could follow Temari into their room. She turned around, giving him a curious look, as he waved at her.

"I need to borrow your boyfriend for a minute. I'll give him back in a moment."

Temari watched as the door was slammed in her face and turned to a bewildered Sanzoku, who sat on the bed.

"What was all that about?"

**I dunno. That guy is weird as hell. I don't try to understand him.**

"I agree."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Kira folded his arms and leaned against the wall, observing Naruto as he sat on the edge of the bed.

"What's this all about, boy? That cutie seemed to know you intimately. I thought you were a Suna shinobi?"

Naruto sighed and leaned his forearms on his knees, staring at the floor.

"I used to be a Konoha shinobi."

Kira's blinked and shook his head.

"What? Are you a missing nin?"

Naruto chuckled.

"No. Nothing like that. I asked for a transfer. You see, I had some…grievances…against the council of Konoha that couldn't be ironed out, so I asked to leave. The Kazekage is a friend of mine, so it wasn't all that hard."

Kira's eyes hardened and he glared at Naruto.

"Who are you really? I know you're a jinchuuriki, I know what you hold. But…who are you? You're obviously an important person."

Naruto sat silent for a few moments before locking eyes with his new ally.

"I'm the self-disowned son of the Yondaime Hokage. My name at birth should have been Namikaze Naruto, but I refuse to go by it. Instead, I was given my mother's maiden name and it's what I go by to this day."

Kira whistled appreciatively.

"The son of a Kage, huh? That's a hell of a pedigree, kid."

"Yeah…it is. But I didn't live up to it earlier on. I wasn't the most well liked person. No one truly wanted anything to do with me. Unlike you, who was raised to be a weapon and taught how to defend yourself…my village left me hanging out to dry."

Kira perked up at that.

"You mean…they didn't train you to be a weapon?"

Naruto shook his head.

"Nope. Unlike most jinchuuriki, I think they honestly wanted me to die. If I had any skill, any way to protect myself, that would mean that the Kyuubi could live on another day."

"But…your Mokuton…"

"It's not Mokuton. It's a force of nature that only I can control. I have complete power over plants. I can make them grow anywhere and I can grow anything. It was a power I was appointed with, unlike the Kyuubi. I was…chosen…for the Green."

"But what is it? It was an awesome power and I felt little to no chakra in it."

"That's because it is nature. I'm not creating jutsu, I'm creating life. You should see what I've done with Suna."

Kira nodded his head and the room fell silent again until he spoke up once more.

"Even with a different background, even if we weren't all treated the same, it all comes back to one, unforgivable truth…"

He and Naruto looked at each other with understanding.

"No one wanted us."

Kira nodded his head and looked out the window.

"Yeah…no one wanted us."

The two fell silent again, listening to the birds outside the window as they chirped merrily.

"You can go back to your woman now, Naruto. I just wanted to know."

Naruto nodded, but didn't move.

"You know, Kira…you can stay in Suna with us. Once this is over, you don't have to go back to that shrine."

Kira eyed him suspiciously as Naruto grinned at him.

"If you like caves so much, there's a cave on my property. I'm sure the raccoons wouldn't mind sharing it with such an awesome dude as yourself."

Kira chuckled at that and sighed.

"Maybe. We'll have to see what happens. Our future isn't looking very bright right now."

"I know a girl who would love a guy like you. Open, honest, muscular…talented with his mouth, so to speak…"

Kira quirked an eyebrow and grinned lecherously.

"Oh yeah? What's her name?"

Naruto grinned devilishly and drew the woman's outline in the air.

"Urameshi Kari."

"Kari and Kira…I like that."

"It's easy talking to another jinchuuriki, isn't it?"

"Like talking to someone you've known your whole life. Now, tell me a little more about this Kari."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Temari looked up from her book when Naruto walked in, Sanzoku curled up beside her, snoring away.

"Hey, babe. What was that all about?"

"Kira wanted to know who I was."

He leapt onto the bed, landing hard, and sending Sanzoku flying into the air. The red panda snarled and launched at Naruto, who caught him by the nape of his neck, narrowly avoiding his claws, and held him at arm's length until Sanzoku calmed down. Temari giggled as he gave the summon a stern stare.

"Are you gonna be good now?"

**Yeah.**

Naruto sat him down beside him and Sanzoku curled up on his pillow, growling softly at the blonde man. Temai snuggled into his side and went back to reading her book as he wrapped an arm around her.

"Whatcha reading?"

"Hm? Oh, a book on cooking. I figure if we live together I can't let you cook all the meals."

"Tema-chan?"

"Hm?"

"Remember the last time you cooked?"

"Hm."

"It tried to come to life. Gaara had to kill it with his sand. We ate out that night."

"It wasn't _that_ bad."

"Temari. It growled at Kankurou."

"Everything growls at Kankurou."

"It tried to bite Gaara."

"Lots of things dislike Gaara."

"It bit _me_!"

"You probably deserved it!"

Naruto sighed and took the book out of her hands, holding it over his head as she reached for it.

"Hey! Gimmee that back!"

"No. Leave the cooking to me."

Temari folded her arms and leaned back against the headboard.

"Then what am I supposed to do around the house?"

Naruto grinned and kissed her on the lips.

"Look pretty."

Temari grinned into the kiss and caressed his cheek with her left hand.

"I guess I can handle that."

**Trying to sleep here.**

"Then go sleep with Kira. I'm sure he isn't making any noise."

…**I'll just go sleep in the bathroom.**

Temari giggled as he shut the door behind him and turned back to Naruto.

"Now, where were we?"

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The trip to Suna was not a fun one. Kira grumbled the whole way, complaining about the heat as they crossed the desert and the overall brightness of the sun. Temari was quickly losing her patience and Naruto…he just wanted to be at home and away from at least one grumpy person. He knew he could calm Temari down at least.

Temari was just about on her last nerve when they topped a dune and she cried out in happiness.

"There it is! Sunagakure! Home!"

Kira squinted his eyes and shielded them from the sun with his hand, looking out over the shimmering sand.

"Huh, well I'll be damned. There really are trees inside the walls. And grass growing around the walls themselves. I gotta see this."

Temari grinned and took off again, calling over her shoulder.

"Wait till you see the property!"

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Unfortunately, such pleasantries had to wait as they had to report in to Gaara. The three stood before the redhead as he eyed them all.

"I don't believe there has ever been a gathering of more than two jinchuuriki in any such manner. This is a momentous occasion."

Kira dug in his ear boredly.

"Yeah huh. Where's the nearest bar so I can get a drink? I'm parched."

Gaara snorted and a small smile crossed his face.

"You're just like Naruto, always worried about your next meal instead of what's important. You three go rest and see me in the morning. We'll do this then. Naruto, Temari?"

The two turned in the doorway and Gaara closed his eyes as he nodded his head toward them.

"Welcome home. We all missed you."

The two blondes grinned and led Kira out.

"Where are we going?"

"My property. You'll love it."

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He did love it. Temari and Naruto watched as Kira bounded around the place like a little kid, sampling all the fruits and drinking from the stream. He finally ran back over, his face set in a wide grin.

"Show me where I'll be sleeping tonight."

Temari cocked her head to the side.

"Are you sure you'd rather not sleep at a hotel? We can arrange accommodations."

Kira shook his head and Naruto led them to the cave.

"Wait here. I'll need to ask the caretakers if they will let you stay."

He didn't wait for their answer and walked inside into the main chamber and knelt on his knees, a feeling of calmness and peace washing over him.

"Caretakers, I've come to ask a favor."

Two raccoons, slightly above the average size, waddled out of the shadows, gold and blue vests adorning their bodies. The female of the two sat on her haunches and clasped her paws together.

**What do you need, Naruto-sama? Ask, and we shall try to grant it.**

"I need you to let a new friend of mine stay here. He is a jinchuuriki as well and is used to living in caves. I thought he would be more comfortable here."

The male nodded his head and clasped his paws together as well.

**Bring him here, that we may see him and determine his intent.**

Naruto nodded and rose, walking back to the entrance and motioning for Kira to follow him. Temari was miffed that she had to stay put, but her mood lightened when the kits came out to play with her. Kira followed Naruto into the chamber and knelt beside Naruto. He felt a sense of calm wash over him and closed his eyes.

"This room…it's mystic, isn't it?"

**Yes, it is. Welcome, Hachi Kira. Please remain still so that we may determine if you can stay.**

Kira sat motionless, his eyes closed, and allowed the two raccoons to pull his arms away from his body until he sat as if receiving a blessing. The male raccoon nodded to the female and they arranged Kira's limbs back to their former state.

**He is not the purest being in the world, but we will allow him to stay. Perhaps while he stays here, he can find peace with himself. He may stay in the main chamber. The kits will see to it that he isn't lonely.**

Kira nodded his consent and was about to rise when the female raccoon pulled on his hand.

**Stay. Let the energies flow over you. By morning, I promise, you'll feel right as rain.**

Kira bowed his head to the raccoons and spoke to Naruto as he settled into a Lotus position.

"I shall see you in the morning. I feel like I can almost touch Heaven here."

Naruto chuckled and rose to his feet, bowing to the raccoons.

"Thank you, caretakers. I'll bring you something good to eat on my next trip to the sea."

**Thank you, Naruto-sama. We appreciate it as always. Carry on in your mission. Do not falter.**

He nodded and walked out, casting one look back at the prone Kira, who sat as unmoving as a statue. The kits squealed happily when they saw him and Temari stood, the one who liked her hair (or was it a different one? She couldn't tell since they all looked the same.) planted firmly atop her head. Naruto leaned forward and kissed her.

"Come on. Let's go home. We have a lot to do tomorrow."

"What's tomorrow?"

"Well, we have to talk to Gaara, get Kira settled, and then…we start on the house. It's the start of a new day, Temari."

She smiled and locked her arm in his as they walked toward the village. The sun was setting and cast its purple and gold and orange and yellow hues beautifully on the horizon.

"Sunrise, sunset…will they always begin and end with such beautiful colors?"

He gave her a loving smile and squeezed her arm.

"As long as you're with me, every day will be beautiful."

She smacked his arm playfully.

"Flatterer. It won't get you anywhere. But…it is nice to hear."

"I believe it's already gotten me somewhere, my dear."

"Oh? And where is that?"

"Your heart."

She snorted and wiped a tear from her eye, from laughter at his absurdness or the touching things he was saying, he couldn't tell.

"Idiot. I fell for you because you were like a little puppy. I just couldn't kick you away."

"And now?"

She grinned evilly.

"Well, now I have the puppy on a leash and he'll do whatever I tell him. Why let go of such an obedient pet now?"

They both laughed and walked onward toward the compound until Temari spoke up again, humor in her voice.

"You know, a leash sounds…"

"Don't even think about it."

**Gasp! Character development for a character that will probably never recieve a backstory in canon? Yeah, I did it. Hope you liked it. The story will roll on next chapter. Let me know what you think.**


	24. Double Date

And here's Chapter 24. Sorry to have kept you guys waiting. I truly am. This chapter was fun for me to write. A little more insight into the characters' lives, mixed in with a little silliness before we get back to the nitty gritty. Enjoy. Readers, Reviewers, Thank You...**Go Into The Water**_ by Dethklok._

**CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR**

Kira stretched lazily as he looked around the cavern; its multi-faceted gem-like surface throwing prisms of light everywhere. It made for quite the surreal experience, one he could continue to live with for quite a while. Unfortunately, he had to meet the Kazekage, hang out with Naruto, and, to his unbidden glee, meet a supposedly hot chick named Urameshi Kari.

Yep, life was good for ole' Hachi Kira…

He stood upright with a happy sigh and rolled his neck from side to side. He hadn't felt this rested in some time and he hadn't even slept. He'd merely meditated the entire night.

**You would do well to stay close to this Uzumaki Naruto. I feel a change coming in the world…and your brother will not take your leaving very lightly.**

Kira snorted and put his hands behind his head.

'_My brother is of no consequence at the moment. My students should be able to take care of protecting Kumogakure in my absence. Besides, who the hell would want to invade that place?'_

The Eight-tailed Ox rolled its eyes.

**Be that as it may, there is a revolution coming and you will be instrumental in it, as will I. The boy who holds the Kyuubi will be the catalyst for all this. Take my advice and stay beside him.**

Before Kira could reply, the Ox faded into the background of his mind, content with having said its piece. The bearded man hated when his beast did that, but it was eccentric as well as powerful. He'd learned to put up with its nonsense over his years as its host.

A faint sound echoed in from outside the cave and Kira stiffened, turning his head slightly to catch the noise better. It sounded like people shouting and hammers knocking against wood…he could only suppose it was Naruto. He slowly padded across the crystal floor and cursed inwardly as the sunlight bounced off the entrance and into his eyes. With a readjustment of his glasses, he stepped out and put a hand over his brow to help shield him from the accursed light.

The world was a blaze of white for a moment before his eyes adjusted to the searing desert sun. He blinked, letting the moisture wash away a grain of sand that had gotten under his glasses, and gaped at the scene before him.

To his right were literally hundreds of Narutos, performing various tasks as they prepared the foundation of his soon-to-be house for the walls. He watched in awe as they brought stones from a quarry over a mile away in scrolls and deposited them on the ground before heading back for more. Several Narutos waited for the stones to hit the ground before measuring out the desired shape and thickness of the foundation and cutting them with wind chakra.

All of this was done under the watchful eye of a local stonemason, who observed the proceedings with great interest. He would shout at the Narutos when they cut the stone wrong and helped them lay the tiles in the correct places. They already had half the foundation done on a very large home.

Straight ahead, he could see several Narutos working on cutting down trees and dragging them to an empty site, where even more waited to trim the branches off and slice the tree into lumber for the frame. He marveled at the use of wind chakra in such an unorthodox way. He marveled even more when, for every tree that he cut down, Naruto would raise another from the ground.

With a final twist of his head to the left, he saw what he guessed were Naruto's students, running drills and exercising under the watchful eye of yet another Naruto. It amazed him that the blonde could do all these things and still show no ill effect. The fact that he apparently used none of the Kyuubi's chakra to do it made it all the more astonishing.

"Enjoying the sights, Kira?"

The bearded man glanced upwards and saw four shadows covering his exit. He cautiously stepped into the sun and shielded his eyes again as he looked upward. He recognized Temari and Naruto's outlines, but he didn't recognize the other two. A flash of teeth brought his attention to Naruto's face as he grinned at his newfound ally.

"Morning. Hope you slept well, cause we've got a busy day ahead of us."

Kira snorted and threw his thumb over his shoulder, pointing in the direction of the madness behind him.

"Seems like you got an early start. I didn't realize that I'd stayed in the caverns that late."

"Eh, it's not all that late. It's only a bit past one. Anyway, Kira, I'd like to introduce you to a friend of mine. This is Kankurou, current premier Puppeteer of Sunagakure."

The black clad man with the scrolls on his back waved at Kira jovially. Naruto pointed to the other one.

"And this, as you already know, is Gaara, the Kazekage. He's been most eager to meet you again this morning."

Kira, while not the most respectful of individuals to anyone, recognized the Kage for who they were and the power that came along with the positions. Besides, he was an ally, right? It wouldn't hurt his reputation as a badass _too_ much. He bowed at the waist to Gaara.

"Kazekage-sama, it is an honor to meet you again."

Gaara nodded his head, his arms folded across his chest.

"Likewise. You can drop the formalities, Hachi Kira. There are certain days I don't like to be reminded of my position. Simply call me Gaara. Now then, let's retire to my office. It's much more comfortable there and I'll send for some breakfast."

Kira grinned at the thought of food and rubbed his palms together.

"MmmMmm! Breakfast sounds good!"

Temari sighed and linked her arm in Naruto's as they headed for the Kage Tower.

"Great. Another idiot with a stomach bigger than his brain."

Naruto frowned and poked her in the side.

"What'd you say?"

"You heard me. I didn't stutter."

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Temari sipped her coffee as she watched the men around her devour an incredibly large breakfast banquet. It must be a jinchuuriki thing, because Gaara, Naruto, and Kira all had destroyed a table that would have easily fed more than a dozen people. She couldn't imagine where they put it all.

Gaara finally sat back in his chair and wiped his mouth with a napkin. The pleasantries were over. It was time for business.

"Naruto, I'm glad to see that you've finally begun construction on your house and that you've resumed your duties as a sensei. Sadly, this won't last long. I'm going to need you to go into the field soon. We must stop Akatsuki and end their threat once and for all. This applies to you as well, Kira."

The two jinchuuriki looked up from stuffing their faces and swallowed simultaneously.

"For starters, I still want to know more about Akatsuki before I do anything with you guys. You've got to have a file I can study or something. And another thing…isn't it dangerous sending both jinchuuriki after them?"

Gaara sighed and turned his chair to look out the window.

"It's probably foolish, yes. But there simply aren't many who can go toe-to-toe with Akatsuki and come out on top. You and Naruto are among the few who can. That's why you both have to be there when we go in."

Kira noted that Naruto remained silent. He was probably in on the plan already and had helped devise it.

"What's the plan?"

Gaara swung the chair back around and folded his arms.

"We go into Amegakure and find them first."

Kira knocked his chair over when he stood up, anger on his face.

"That's insane! You're talking about going into the belly of the beast! Why in the hell would we attack them on their home turf, when they have ninja around them to help fight and protect them?"

Kankurou sipped at his coffee and sat the cup down.

"Because there's no other alternative. Believe me, me and Temari tried to talk these two out of this. The Hokage did too. But there really is no other alternative. We either strike at them now, or we relegate ourselves to their hit-and-run tactics for the rest of our lives. They've always struck first, not the other way around. They're down to only a few members now. Now is the time to strike."

Temari shook her head.

"No. The time to strike is when we know they're at their weakest. Amegakure is an isolated nation. They have very little trade and are self-sustaining. Because of their isolationism, their population doesn't have much of a boom, seeing as they can't afford to have more people than they can feed. We need to hit their food supply and anything else of value before we attack."

Naruto frowned at his girlfriend.

"I don't like attacking civilians. Cutting off the food supply hurts more than the shinobi. It hurts innocents."

Kira reached over and slapped the young man in the back of the head.

"For a shinobi and a sensei, you're pretty damned naïve, blondie. There are no innocents in Amegakure. They are all part of this little conspiracy, either through active participation or unwillingly. They've allowed Pein and his little troupe to take over their country and follow him blindly, like sheep. I've heard stories of their blind devotion. They rush in without thinking, glad to die in the service of their 'god'."

The Suna ninja stared at him, curious as to how he knew all that. Naruto voiced their unbidden question. Kira scowled as he spoke.

"My brother is the Raikage. I know a few things. I suppose I left out that little detail when I gave my backstory, huh?"

Naruto grimaced and sat forward in his chair.

"Yeah, you did. What else haven't you told us?"

Kira snorted and took a bite out of a mango, savoring the taste.

"Mmm…sweet. Yeah, my brother's the Raikage. It's not like we have a great relationship though. He's my brother and I love him. He loves me too. But we don't _like_ each other. I stay up on that mountain unless I'm needed and no one ever comes to visit. He has a couple jounin watching me at all times, but those idiots are incompetent. The only people I've ever had a good relationship with are my students."

Naruto quirked an eyebrow and smirked.

"Students? And you made fun of me?"

Kira sneered as he took another huge bite of his fruit.

"My students are masters of the sword due to my training, not snot-nosed little brats in an academy. You can't really compare the two."

Naruto growled and sat upright in his seat.

"My students are more than likely the best prepared children for ninja life in all the elemental countries. I'm teaching more at a time than you besides."

Kira sneered and leaned his right elbow on his knee.

"Well, my students are the best jounin in Kumogakure besides the Raikage and myself."

Gaara's sand suddenly found both of their mouths, clamping down and preventing them from speaking.

"This isn't a pissing contest over who has the better students. You are both sensei, act like it. We have more important matters to attend to besides."

The two jinchuuriki glared at one another before nodding and turning back to face Gaara. Temari glared at Naruto and pinched his side, making him jump.

"What? He started it."

Temari grabbed his ear and jerked it down to her level.

"I don't care who started it. Stop being disrespectful in front of your Kage. Set an example, _sensei_."

Kira snickered at Naruto's misfortune before Temari cast her gaze on him.

"I'll deal with you afterwards."

He stopped snickering and quirked an eyebrow.

"I don't believe I'm dating you, Missy. You don't own me."

Temari smiled sweetly and let go of Naruto's ear.

"No, I don't. But, you _are_ a guest of mine, and therefore, I'm responsible for you. Your behavior is reflecting on mine…and it's not reflecting very well."

Kira shivered under her gaze and turned away. He may not have all that much interaction with women outside of his female students, but he knew when he was treading on dangerous ground. He wasn't about to lie back and take it like Naruto though.

"I'll keep that in mind. Can we move this along please?"

Gaara grunted, but nodded his approval.

"Yes, we can. I won't keep you much longer. I have work to do after all. In time, we'll be going back to Konoha to meet with Tsuande and make a definitive plan. We'll move out from there. I need to ask you to return to Kumogakure and ask your Kage to meet us in Konoha."

Kira's scowl deepened. He had thought he might be able to escape from Kumo for a bit longer.

"My brother is an idiot. He believes that Kumo is impenetrable and that I am safe. He did nothing to save Yugito when she was captured. I don't know if his help would be welcomed or not. And besides that, Kumo isn't very well-received in Konoha due to the Hyuuga incident a few years back."

Gaara sighed and stood up, signaling the end of the meeting.

"I know that. But these are different times. We're talking about a threat that will encompass all the elemental countries. It has to be dealt with and, if your brother will not help, he is a fool."

Kira nodded his head and stepped over beside Naruto and Temari.

"I'll speak with him. I promise. I'd like to relax for a bit before I head home though. It's a lot nicer here in Suna than I had heard."

Gaara waved them off with his hand as he picked up a report.

"Thank Naruto for that. Now, if you would all please leave."

Kira nudged Naruto on the way out, leaning down to whisper into his ear.

"Someone needs to get laid."

Naruto snickered and bobbed his head in agreement.

"You have no idea."

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Kankurou excused himself when they were out of the office, citing that he had drawn patrol duty,_ yet again_, for making Gaara angry about something or other. As he sullenly walked off, Kira clapped his hands together and grinned at the two blondes.

"So, Urameshi Kari? What's she like?"

Neither Naruto nor Temari said anything as they led the way back to the property, which annoyed Kira mightily. His face scrunched up as he took a few quick steps ahead so he could see both blondes' faces. Squinting his eyes at Temari, he smirked.

"If you don't tell me, I'll start rapping again."

She tilted her chin upward slightly and he grinned.

"Oh, I'm bombastic, fantastic…"

"Fine! Okay! Just, _please_, keep your mouth shut!"

Kira grinned at his victory and slowed his walk so he was shoulder-to-shoulder with Naruto.

"What's she like?"

Temari sighed and grasped onto Naruto's fingers as they walked. She hated talking about a former rival of hers for Naruto's affection…even if it hadn't been a true rivalry to begin with.

"Kari is a very sweet person, very kind. She always tries to help out her students and is very fair with them. I would say she's _too_ nice."

Kira nodded his head. He didn't really care about her personality at the moment. He wanted physical details.

"She's a sweet girl, got it. What does she look like?"

Temari growled and was about to say something very rude about the male gender, but Naruto poked her in the side and shook his head very slightly. She huffed and stared straight ahead. Naruto turned to Kira with a grin.

"Kari is a beautiful girl. She has long, glossy black hair and ruby red lips."

Temari squeezed his fingers a bit tighter, but Naruto continued.

"She's very shapely. Not too big and not too small in all the right places."

His knuckles cracked slightly under the pressure. Kira's grin grew wider every moment.

"She's a capable, competent kunoichi. But what is most attractive about her is that radiant smile she has. It's the most beautiful thing I've ever seen…"

Kira quirked his eyebrow when he heard Temari growl audibly and glanced at Naruto. Surely the guy wasn't that damn oblivious? With no warning, Naruto suddenly turned and latched his arms around Temari, pulling her in for an earth-shaking kiss. She fought at first, trying to twist away before melting into the liplock. Naruto pulled away with a wet, smacking sound, leaving Temari dazed and happy.

He turned back to Kira with a wink.

"Remember that. It'll help you later. As I was saying, her smile is the most beautiful thing I've ever seen besides Temari."

Kira sidled up alongside the blonde, keeping his voice low as Naruto led the still-dizzy Temari along by her hand.

"You're smooth, kid. Real smooth. When am I going to meet her?"

Naruto's grin widened even more.

"Right now."

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Kari had let her class out a bit early so she could grade some of the tests she had given them. It was somewhat boring without Naruto around and morale had taken a dip. She had taken to letting her class out on a whim every now and then so she could get some things done in the evening. She perked up when she heard familiar voices down the hall and one unfamiliar one.

"She better be cute, Uzumaki, or I _will_ hurt you."

"She's cute, damn it. Don't doubt me. Temari, where the hell is Sanzoku? He keeps disappearing."

"I don't know where the hell that overgrown rat gets off to. He's probably with your clone that's teaching the class or sleeping in a tree."

Kari smiled when she heard two of her friends coming and straightened up her pile of paperwork. It could wait til later. She hadn't seen the two lovebirds in quite a while. That thought brought a small sigh to her lips. It could have been her…

She turned with a bright smile to the doorway, her grin spreading as Temari walked in first, followed by Naruto. The two waved jovially at her and she returned it.

"Welcome back, you two. I hope you had fun on your little vacation?"

Temari sighed, thinking back to all the good times they'd had, a dreamy look crossing her face as she remembered the times that her and Naruto's bodies had entwined…She quickly shook those thoughts away and smiled at Kari.

"Yeah. We had a bit of…trouble…but we got through it. We have someone we'd like you to meet though. He's a new ally of ours. Kari, meet Kira."

Temari's smile began to wane as Kari gave her a curious look.

"I thought I heard a third voice with you guys, but I don't see anyone…and it didn't sound like Sanzoku…"

Temari whipped around and glared at the doorway before pushing Naruto.

"Get that idiot in here. After all that bluster, you mean to tell me he's _shy around women_?"

Naruto sighed and poked his head out the door, seeing Kira leaned against the wall with his arms crossed, a pensive look on his face…

"What the hell are you doing?"

The sunglasses-clad man looked up with a frown before ducking his head again.

"What if she doesn't like me?"

"Oh, for the love of…"

Naruto rolled his eyes and grabbed the man by the shoulder, jerking him inside. Kira, caught off-balance by the unexpected maneuver, stumbled in and took a knee. He turned his head angrily and began to yell at Naruto.

"You stupid blonde! What the hell was that for?"

The sound of giggling caught Kira's ears and he looked up to see Kari with a blush on her cheeks. He rose quickly, trying to regain some of his lost coolness…and bravado.

The two looked each other up and down unscrupulously. Kari's eyes wandered over Kira's sculpted chest and arms, taking in every detail she could. She loved the goatee and the fact that he was tall. She caught a spot of drool with her tongue before it could leak out. Kira let his eyes trace her outline, drinking up the hourglass figure like he was sipping wine. He almost licked his lips at the sight of her full breasts and her round bottom, but caught himself, regaining a bit of his dignity.

"Um…hey…uh, I'm Hachi Kira. I…uh…"

Temari let out a frustrated sigh and snapped her fingers to get the two's attention.

"What Kira is _trying_, and failing miserably I might add, to say, is that he'd like you to be his date tonight. Me and Naruto, you and Kira, on a double date. What do you say?"

Kari nodded her head slowly, never taking her eyes of Kira's face. The giant rubbed the back of his head sheepishly and started to say something else, but Temari pushed both him and Naruto to the door.

"Good. You two go get ready. I'll take Kari and we'll meet you at the compound at seven. Naruto, send a clone to make reservations at our favorite restaurant."

She looked from Kira to Kari and clucked her tongue. Had she been this head-over-heels with Naruto when she'd first gone out with him? Nah, she'd been way more in control. She knew how to make Naruto move along though. She slowly began to reach for her fan and Naruto noticed the movement out of the corner of his eyes. Without warning, he snatched Kira's arm and dragged the man out without saying goodbye. Kira waved as he was dragged out by his collar, cursing loudly when his elbow banged on the frame.

Kari stood for a moment silent before squealing and latching onto Temari's shoulders so the girl couldn't get away, a bright smile alight on her face.

"Did you see how hot that guy was? He's soooo muscular. And shy to boot! I bet he's the poetic type, likes to write and dance…"

Temari snickered and nodded her head. Kari was partly right. He did love to rhyme and dance…he just wasn't any good at it. She guided the black-haired, giddy woman out of the room and towards the market center of Suna. They'd need some new things for tonight…and it had been a while since she'd wowed Naruto…

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Naruto didn't stop dragging Kira until he knew he was a safe distance away and stopped, letting the larger man drop into the dust. While Kira was picking himself up, Naruto made a clone and sent it off to make the reservations. The dark-skinned man leapt to his feet, undeterred by his dusty backside, and grabbed Naruto's hand, shaking it up and down.

"You are a miracle worker! You see that chick, man? She was digging the Rap Machine!"

Naruto chuckled and wrenched his hand out of Kira's mighty grip.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm the greatest. I told you she was cute."

"Cute? Son, she was a bombshell! Dy-no-mite! Out of sight! Baby was tight! Way better looking than any Kumo chicky I've ever seen! Guess if you can't grow plants out here in Suna, you grow good-looking women. What a find. Think she likes me?"

"Considering she was doing everything short of drooling on her shirt checking out your body, I'd say yes. Of course, she doesn't know about your personality quirks yet, but I doubt that would deter her. She's pretty persistent. Now, come on. We've gotta get you something to wear this evening. The restaurant is a formal one. Temari likes to dress up when we're out."

Kira stopped and looked down at his clothing, before narrowing his eyes at Naruto.

"What's wrong with the way I look?"

Naruto put his hands up in placation.

"Nothing, nothing. We just have to dress a bit more formal to get in this restaurant. Standard shinobi clothing really doesn't cut it, you know?"

Kira nodded slowly while fingering his scarf. He liked his clothes…

"I'm not taking off the glasses."

"Fair enough."

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Naruto and Kira sat on the couch in the den of the compound, waiting for Temari and Kari to appear. The girls had gotten in earlier than they had and Temari had told them that they were not to come up the stairs under any circumstances, under pain of death. Naruto had simply agreed and led Kira to a downstairs bathroom where he could shower and change.

Naruto winced a bit when his working clones all dispelled for the evening, informing him that the foundation was complete and that most of the frame was up. A pile of lumber was left beside the house, ready for more work in the morning. He sighed and shook his head. He'd have to commission more nails from the blacksmith tomorrow. Kira noticed the sound and movements from the blonde, but paid him no mind. He was nervous enough about that evening's events and was trying to calm himself.

Naruto leaned back and put one arm on the back of the sofa, the other hand to his chin in thought. He wondered what Temari would want for the walls when he got to that stage? Cedar smelled good on the inside for closets. Cypress would be excellent for the outside walls. Pine was prettier for inside walls in rooms and could be stained to several different shades. Of course, oak was good for cabinets…

He was suddenly shaken from his thoughts by Kira, who was staring gob-smacked at the entrance. Naruto turned his head and his jaw dropped as well. Temari stood in the teal kimono that accented her so well, a smile on her face as she held Kari by the shoulders. Kari herself was clad in a pure white kimono embroidered with blue flowers, her hair pulled up into a bun on top of her head. She had a shy smile on her face, her green eyes showing her anxiousness and anticipation of Kira's thoughts on her dress.

Naruto smiled and nudged Kira in the side. Kira was dumbstruck and happy at the same time. He'd never had a woman try to impress him before, and it felt very nice to see that she had put forth effort for him. He grinned and stood up slowly.

Kari's eyes followed his body from the ground up, taking in the finely tailored black pants, on up to the golden coin hanging on a pendant from his neck, to the linen shirt that he had unbuttoned showing a bit of his chest. Her gaze went down to the black jacket held in his arms and then swept upward to his face, which bore a broad smile…and his black sunglasses.

Temari and Naruto stood to the side, his arm around her waist and her leaning into his side as they watched the prospective lovebirds entrance each other. Their jaws threatened to unhinge when Kira bent at the waist and brought Kari's hand to his lips, kissing the knuckles, and bringing a blush to her lips.

"What majesty the gods hath wrought, what wondrous things untold. The night is young, the future e'er bright, the present surely gold."

Temari blinked and looked at Kari's face. The woman looked as if a fire had alighted itself upon her cheeks as Kira stood upright again, a wry smile on his face. Kari took her hand back slowly and gave him a shy smile.

"That was beautiful. Are you a poet?"

"The spoken word is mine to command, like a ship's captain upon the sea. I normally rap, or rhyme as I call it, though most say it does not suit me."

Temari finally collected her thoughts and stepped forward with a grin.

"You should write poetry instead of those stupid raps you always try. You're much better at classical wordplay."

Kira frowned a bit and crossed his arms.

"I like rapping better. Although I'm extremely good with writing poetry, rhyme is rhyme no matter the rhythm it is set to."

**Perhaps it's merely the fact that the beat in your head doesn't match up to what you want to say…or you just suck at rap. Hello, Kari-san.**

While Kari smile and waved back at the red panda, Kira growled at the newly appeared Sanzoku and kicked out with his foot, missing the summon by mere centimeters.

"No one asked for your opinion, rat. And where the hell have you been all day?"

**Around. I visited the caves to make sure you hadn't defiled them.**

"You little…"

Naruto scooped up Sanzoku by the nape of his neck and brought him up to eye level.

"Now, now, you two. Sanzoku, we're going out for the evening. Make sure that nothing happens to the house…and that Kankurou doesn't spread his puppets out everywhere when he gets home. We might be out late."

**Fine. Just make sure he doesn't traumatize Kari-san. She's too nice to be subjected to his horrible lyrics.**

Kari giggled and latched onto Kira's arm to prevent him from strangling the red panda.

"I happen to like what I've heard so far. His rapping can't be all _that_ bad."

Sanzoku shrugged as Naruto sat him back down.

**Your funeral. Don't say I didn't warn you.**

Temari clapped her hands together and got everyone's attention.

"Okay, everyone outside. Let's go get something to eat."

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Dinner went amazingly well, all things considered. Kira didn't try to rap, Kari was a perfect lady, and Naruto and Temari didn't have to moderate. All in all, it was a successful date. The two couples walked along, chatting with each other on the way back to Kari's house. Temari's arm was linked with Naruto's and Kari giggled whenever Kira flexed a muscle.

Naruto and Temari were pleasantly surprised by Kira's attitude. They had expected him to be as uncultured and as uncouth at the table as he was in his day-to-day mannerisms. Kira had proven them wrong the whole night long; charming everyone they met with a sharp wit and silver tongue. When Naruto pulled him aside at one point and asked what he was doing he merely grinned.

"_I'm doing what I do best. Bullshitting."_

Naruto had blinked and then shrugged, accepting it for what it was. Kira was really good at bullshitting with other people.

The night came to a close though and they stopped in front of Kari's house to drop her off. Kira walked her to her door and they awkwardly stood there, illuminated by the moonlight for several minutes. Kari finally sighed and looked up at the bright, round moon.

"Alas, the night is waning now, the evening over, the moon so high. Part ways we must, the poet and lady, but ne'er shall I cry. For the morning sun a new day brings and possibilities will abound. Come find me on the morrow, oh poet sir, the school is where I'm found."

She pulled on his collar, bringing him down enough so that she could place a chaste kiss on his cheek, before releasing him.

"Let's do lunch. Goodnight, Hachi Kira."

Kira watched with wide eyes behind his glasses as the door shut and made his way back over to the two blondes, a broad smile on his face. Temari and Naruto waited for him to stand beside them before walking again. Naruto cleared his throat and cut his eyes to the larger man.

"So?"

Kira grinned and looked up at the moon.

"She's a poet too. I think I'm in love…"

Temari snorted and tightened her hold on Naruto.

"You'd better have a couple more dates before you fall head over heels, lover boy. You're going back to Kumo, you know."

Kira sighed and his head dipped a little bit.

"Yeah…but it'll be fun until then, at least. Besides…it's not just me who should enjoy the days ahead. It's going to get dangerous for us all."

The rest of the walk was filled with silence, all three contemplating their next course of action and the future.

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Two weeks later, Kira left Suna and made his way back to Kumo to talk with his brother. Naruto heard him mumble something about 'taking his punishment', but blew it off as the ramblings of a man upset at having his vacation cut short. He chuckled as Kira took off across the desert, wrapped up like a mummy, his cursing of the sun and the heat wafting back over the sand. Naruto turned back to the village and made his way to Gaara's office.

He spoke with Gaara about when they would go to Konoha to have the talks with Tsunade about the invasion and left shortly afterwards. He was almost finished with the exterior of the house and was about to start on the interior, but he needed, no, he wanted Temari's input. After all, she'd be there just as much as him.

He stood still, watching as his clones finished the last touches on the outside of the house, fitting the glass for the windows, sealing up any cracks between the boards, and making sure there were no weak points in any of the structure. He flopped to the ground beneath a tree and held his chin in his hands. The clones all padded up to him and formed rows while one saluted.

"Exterior of Manor Uzumaki completed, boss. What do we need to do next?"

Naruto glanced up by cocking his head and clicked his tongue.

"Well, you guys went and bought enough wiring and piping yesterday, right?"

A resounding 'hai' permeated the clearing.

"Good. Then some of you get started on the wiring. The rest of you plumb the house. Make sure you use the appropriate size for sewer pipes."

One of the clones snickered.

"Aw, come on, boss. Surely you can't drop a log that would stop up some small piping."

Naruto glared at the clone and it was suddenly wrapped in thorny vines, yelling in pain before it exploding in smoke. The other clones gulped and turned back to the original.

"Anybody else want to be a smartass?"

Every blonde head shook vehemently no.

"Good. Get to work. I want this thing wired and plumbed by nightfall."

The clones scrambled off towards the house, eager to get away from their disgruntled creator. Naruto sighed and closed his eyes, only to feel two familiar arms wind around his shoulders.

"Isn't arguing with yourself the sign of a sick mind?"

Naruto leaned back into the embrace, but kept his eyes closed.

"Everyone knows I'm crazy, so it's okay. Besides, I punish myself when I get out of line."

Temari leaned against his back and nuzzled into his hair, the warm morning sun and the shade of the tree they were under making it difficult to keep her eyes open.

"There are so many layers to that that it would make a psychiatrist cry, Naruto. How long until you finish the house?"

Naruto pulled her around to the front and leaned back against the trunk of the tree. Temari settled in between his legs and laid against his chest, the soft rhythm of his heart lulling her to sleep.

"It won't be long now. The clones are going to start working on the wiring and the plumbing today. Should be finished by this evening."

"Mmmm…"

Naruto looked down at her, smirking as her head began to dip and roll.

"I need your help with the interior though. I have no idea what you'd like."

Temari's foggy brain seemed to latch onto that single statement and she rolled her head back to look up at him.

"You mean…I get to pick the inside?"

Naruto nodded and winced at the squeal. Temari wriggled in glee in his arms, fidgeting like a child on a sugar-high.

"Oh, this is so exciting! I've got to pick paints, furniture, flooring…I'm going to need Kari's help with this."

Naruto tightened his grip on the wiggling girl and lowered his head to whisper in her ear.

"I take it you've never done this before?"

"Are you kidding? The compound has always been the way it is. The furniture has always been there, it's always been the same color, and we can't take or bring in anything new besides tools and clothes. I get to pick out the color for my room, right?"

Naruto snorted and pulled her back against him again.

"You can choose whatever you like, Temari. I'm not one much for interior design, so I'm leaving that to you. But…my study is _mine_ to do with as I please. The rest is all you…just don't go overboard."

He leaned back and closed his eyes, listening to Temari's giggles become quieter and quieter until she fell asleep. Soon enough, times like these would be totally gone unless Akatsuki was defeated. If that could be accomplished, then their world could have peace. As much peace as ninja villages could have anyway.

The question was…how many would have to die to achieve that?

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Temari threw herself into decorating the house. She absolutely loved the outside. Naruto had used every natural resource he could to make an appealing look. The walls of the house were cypress, known for its ability to resist moisture and weathering. The roof was red, baked tile that had been formed by Naruto himself and carefully placed. The only thing that bothered her was that the landscape around the house was still bare.

Kari had been most helpful with picking out complementing colors for the walls and several knickknacks to accent everything. Naruto had merely shook his head and told them to have fun while he went about his business. He had other things to occupy himself with while Temari went nuts.

The first thing Temari tackled was the entranceway. To her, it made sense to work her way inward to the rest of the house. Several of Naruto's clones trailed behind her to do heavy lifting or fetch things for her when she called for them. The first task she put them to was laying tile in the entranceway. Naruto had carved a six-by-six area that was four inches lower than the rest of the house by the front door as the official shoe-removal area. The threshold was lower than the sunken area so that any dirt could be easily swept out.

It was soon decided that the tile was to be spread throughout the entire house, the Naruto's laying the mortar and quickly slapping the tile into place in the living room. They'd return the next day and grout the tile before moving on to the next room. Temari continued on into her study and stood at the doorway, a finger to her chin. She wasn't one much for many books or scrolls, being a frugal girl, but she did have many things she wanted to display.

With a snap of her fingers, two Narutos ambled over and waited for instruction. She told one of them to go to the compound and retrieve all of her 'special' things. While it ran off, she told the other one to paint the room in a teal color to match her eyes. It saluted and went to find a paintbrush. A squeal from the living room let her know that Kari had finally arrived. Temari poked her head around the corner and saw Kira behind her.

"Kari, come on in. Kira, go somewhere else. I don't want you in here."

He scowled and started to say something, but Temari's glare made him think twice. He grunted and turned to Kari.

"I'll be at the caves if you need me. I need to clear my head."

Kari narrowed her eyes at Temari, who waved her off.

"Don't look at me like that. Now come on. We've got work to do."

Kari quirked an eyebrow as she watched the Narutos laying down the tile, having gotten into a pattern finally.

"What work? It looks like he's doing all the work."

"Nah. We've got all the hard work. You know, picking out everything and making sure it matches. He's just the dumb muscle. Come on, we've got a lot to do."

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One week later, with the moon lighting their way, two blondes stood outside a completed home, large smiles on their faces. This was it. They stood on the precipice of walking into their home. _Their home._ No one but them. It was nothing new to Naruto, having lived alone all his life, but this was _his_. It was something he'd built with his own two hands, something that was uniquely him. Temari just stood in awe. She had her own home, with someone that she loved. Oh, she loved the compound, but it was all tradition and history. Here, in this house, they would make their own traditions. Their own history.

Naruto took a deep breath and turned to face Temari, gripping her hand tighter. The smile on his face could almost light up the night sky.

"Well, shall we?"

She nodded and they strode up to the heavy, oaken door. Naruto slid the key inside the lock and turned it, the loud clack filling the still night air. He pushed the door open and flipped the light on. The entryway brightened up and they stepped into the alcove and removed their shoes, placing them on the cedar rack beside the door. Temari wriggled her toes on the cold tile floor and grinned.

"Time to take it all in."

They left the entrance and stopped under the archway that led to the living room. Naruto groped around with his right hand for the switch and finally found it, bathing the house in luminescence. They had both seen it at different times; having worked on it, but to see it in completion was so truly…wonderful.

The beige tile that lay upon the floor seemed to sparkle as the light poured down on it. Temari took in everything that she had done…the walls that were painted a light brown, the mirrors that hung on the wall, the paintings, and the comfortable leather furniture. She turned her head to see Naruto nodding approvingly to the room. She grinned and pulled him along.

"Come on, there's more to see."

Indeed there was. The kitchen was a near replica of his parent's kitchen, down to the cabinets and the countertops. He had so loved the layout of that simple little room where meals would have been lovingly crafted. Temari ran her fingers over the smooth marble and opened the fridge. Hopefully, he was up for cooking tonight.

They continued along the rest of the rooms, which were only a couple of empty bedrooms. They both knew what they were for, but neither wanted to broach that subject at the moment. Temari came to a red door and grinned to herself. This was her study.

She swung the door open and flicked on the switch. It was a comfortable room, with two plush chairs in the middle, facing each other. A large handwoven rug rested beneath the two. Her weapons and assorted ninja paraphernalia that she had acquired over the years adorned the walls. She watched as Naruto crossed the room and fingered an especially large fan. It had belonged to her grandmother and was for looks only, not for battle. It was entirely too delicate for the rigour that war demanded, but it was a beautiful thing to behold. She sat down in one of the chairs, drinking in the peaceful atmosphere and sighed. It was hers and it calmed her.

Naruto strolled over to a rack of scrolls and ran his hands across them. They were ancient and more than likely family heirlooms. He smiled at several photos of the two of them together and several of her family. He stopped at a picture of a young woman holding a baby boy, with a giggling Temari in her lap. He turned to her and gave her a small, sad smile.

"Your mother?"

She nodded. He bobbed his head once and turned back around, his hands behind his back.

"She's beautiful. I can see where you got it from."

She said nothing as he wandered around the rest of the room, checking out her oaken desk and flopping down into her plush office chair, bouncing a few times. He looked back over to see her holding a photo of her family, a wistful look in her eyes. He couldn't stand to see her like this when this was a happy time for both of them. He walked over to her and bumped her arm, pulling her up.

"Let's go see mine now and then we'll look at our two most important rooms."

Temari smirked and let him lead her. There were three rooms that she was not allowed to deal with. The master bedroom, the master bathroom, and Naruto's study had been offlimits. He said he wanted to surprise her. She had no doubt he would. He led her down the hall, her hands sliding along the laquered wainscoating, before stopping at a green door. Somehow, she had known that was what the color would be. She shot him a look and put her hands on her hips.

"Well? Let's see it."

He slowly slid the door open and ushered her inside. Temari, despite how proud she was of her own comfortable study, was in awe of Naruto's own.

He had used his powers to virtually make his study into a greenhouse. Every inch was covered with some amount of greenery and one wall was nothing but glass doors that could open to the outside. The chairs were giant roots that he had carved out and put seat cushions in and even the tables were carved from roots. He pointed up and she gasped. The entire ceiling was glass and she could see the beautiful moon beaming down through the panes. The walls, where they weren't leafy green, were adorned with his own ninja paraphernalia and he had carved several nooks into the trunk of a tree. She wandered around through the room, stopping at a certain corner, a smile on her face.

"Gardenias. I love these flowers."

"I know. Their smell reminds me of you."

She wrapped her arms around him with a wry smile, kissing him deeply as she did. Naruto held onto her hips with both hands and slowly pushed her away. Temari whined at the lack of contact.

"Now, now, don't pout. We still have the whole night to play. We still have a couple more rooms to go."

She smirked and latched her hand onto his, dragging him out of the room with a glance back.

"You realize I'm going to spend a lot of time in here, right?"

He nodded his head and let her lead.

"I know. That's one reason I put the gardenias in there."

She smiled fondly and led the way to the last door in the house. Beyond that simple slab of wood was her new hideaway, her new comfort zone, _their_ bedroom. She stopped before it and put her hand on the door, her eyes closed. She heard Naruto chuckle behind her.

"Forget how to open a door?"

She growled playfully, but didn't turn around.

"No, asshole. I'm savoring the moment. Something you usually don't take the time to do."

She opened her eyes when he put one hand on her shoulder and the other reached around her to open the door, turning the knob with a click.

"Moments are meant to be savored because they're moments, not long minutes. Savor the door later."

The pony-tailed blonde was about to retort when she was pushed roughly into the room and the door was shut behind them, the thud of the door shutting echoing through the pitch black. Temari bent low, crouched on her toes, waiting for whatever Naruto had planned. This was a game they'd never played before and it was…exciting. She sent her chakra to her ears so she could hear the slightest movement in the room.

"Oh, Naruto. Where are you, honey?"

She gasped when a hand smacked her bottom and whipped around, but he was gone again. She backed against the wall and flattened out.

"This isn't fair, you know. You have better night vision than I do."

Hot breath tickled her ear and she shivered.

"It's not about fair or unfair. It's about how much fun you have. Are you having fun?"

Temari sucked in a breath, trying to keep herself calm. Her voice came out in a whisper.

"Yes."

The light blinded her as it flashed into existence and she covered her eyes in instinct, blinking away the spots, before lowering her arms. Naruto stood beside her with a hand on his hip and the other on the switch. His broad grin seemed to light up the room more. He pulled her into a kiss and then whipped her around to face the room.

"Well? Thoughts?"

Temari stared wide-eyed at her…_their_…bedroom. Naruto had painstakingly crafted what to her was the loveliest room she'd ever seen. And the best part was that she would get to stay in it whenever she was home. The walls were a cream color, the floor a brown, earthy tone, covered with plush rugs so that her feet would not be cold in the mornings. Vines crawled the walls in intricate detail, looking as if they'd been painted on, and wound around many pictures.

Her eyes cut from one photo to the other. It was like looking at a timeline of their lives. It started with a photo of her parents when they were young and her father was not yet a total asshole or her mother a vindictive bitch. The next was the painting of Naruto's parents, lovingly holding onto each other as if each was the other's lifeline. She smiled as she gazed upon it. Kushina must have been just a few months pregnant when it was made, her belly just starting to show. Naruto stood behind Temari, his hands on her shoulders as she slowly spun in place, looking at the timeline he'd made.

She continued on, looking at the photos one by one. Her, when she was a toddler. Naruto, with the Hokage's hat on his head. Temari and Kankurou standing side by side. Naruto, swinging on that lonesome swing. Her siblings and Baki. Team Seven. Her battle armor. Naruto and Gamakichi. Her and Shikamaru. Naruto and Sakura. Gaara and her and Kankurou, after his resurrection. Naruto, the day he strolled into Suna to become a citizen.

The photos were so painstakingly arranged that she felt she could reach out and touch the memories. She felt Naruto's arms encircle her and leaned back into his embrace as she finished scanning the photos. His first night at the compound. His first day of school. Their first date. Their first photographed kiss. On vacation in Konoha. She blinked when she realized that one wall was left blank and leaned her head back to look into his eyes.

"Why's that wall blank?"

He leaned down and captured her lips before leaning back up.

"That wall is for the future, for the memories that we will make together in this house. That wall is ours."

She smiled and looked around the room again. A massive fourpost bed was against the wall, right by a window to let in the air, the canopy encircling it rippling in the small breeze. Two large dressers stood side by side, one his, the other her's. He had decided he didn't want closets, opting instead for two huge armoirs on either side of a door at the far end of the room. A fireplace with two leather chairs were the other things filling up the room. She snickered to herself. While desert nights were indeed cold, they didn't really need a fireplace. It was a nice touch though.

She suddenly felt herself being led towards that lone door at the back of the room. Their bedroom was beautiful. She couldn't imagine what he'd done with the bathroom, her favorite place in the compound. Since baths were relatively a luxury in Suna, she loved their bathroom at her ancestral home. But with water relatively underneath them on their land, she could have a bath whenever. The world suddenly became black as Naruto covered her eyes with his hands.

"Wouldn't want to spoil the surprise now would we? I want you to feel it before you see it."

Temari sighed and let him lead her in, one awkward step at a time. She groped for the doorway and turned the handle, listening to Naruto as his words told her where to go. She found the lightswitch to the right of the door and flipped it to the 'on' position so she could see when he took his hands away from her eyes. The wall was cool and smooth, with lines running up and down and sideways, the floor was the same way. She could only assume it was all tile, even the ceiling. Her knees knocked into something cold and when she put her hand down to feel it, she touched water. She heard Naruto grunt in humor behind her and scowled when she realized she had dipped her hand into the toilet. She pulled the appendage out and reached back, wiping it on his clothes.

"Ass."

Temari grinned and felt to the left of the tub, hitting nothing but air. She growled and grabbed Naruto's hands.

"Enough of this. I can't stand it any longer."

She slapped Naruto's hands away and gasped when she saw the bathroom. She didn't know where he'd gotten the stone, but it was breathtaking. The floor was dark and faded as it pooled out to the walls, getting lighter and lighter until it meshed with a white ceiling. A large tub was built into the floor with a shower in the corner. The toilet she had stuck her hand in sat off to one side besides a square sink. She could only imagine the amount of plumbing he had to do.

She twirled around and walked to the shower, admiring the smoothness of the stones and the polished brass faucet. She stiffened when she heard water running behind her and saw Naruto dipping his hand into the tub.

"Mmm…seems the waterheater works. Want to take a bath together? It's been a while since we did that."

Temari smirked and untied the sash around her waist, letting the large red ribbon fall to the ground. Naruto watched as she slowly opened her robe, exposing her red lace bra and panties. Her smirk widened as she walked past him, her fingers trailing across his chest as she stepped into the tub and sank onto a seat at the far end. It hadn't looked that big without being filled, but it was actually quite large. She crooked her finger, beckoning him to come.

"Sweetie, this tub is so lonely without you. So big and empty. Why don't you get in? We'll see whether or not you can unhook a bra underwater."

He nearly broke his leg trying to get out of his pants.

Their first night in their new house was spent making love and eventually collapsing onto the huge bed, happy, content, and most importantly, more in love than when they started.

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Two weeks passed in which Gaara and Kankurou visited to see the new residence, both genuinely impressed. Sanzoku had snuck in at some point during that first night and claimed one of the empty rooms as his. Temari had nearly had a heart attack when she woke up and heard a snore coming from a supposedly empty room, only to open the door and find a sleeping Sanzoku the size of a horse. She opted instead to quietly shut the door, walk back down the hall, and crawl back in bed with Naruto, hugging up against his back. He groggily turned around and wrapped his arms around her.

"Wha's matter?"

"I saw a Sanzoku the size of a horse."

"He c'n chane si…"

She had snorted at his sleepy mumbling and went back to sleep. His warmth was intoxicating, something that never ceased to amaze her. She had drifted back off to sleep that first morning and hadn't woken up until noon.

But that was two weeks ago. This morning was not nearly so serene since she'd gotten word that they were to return to Konoha with a contingent of Suna ninja, Gaara and Kankurou among them. She and Naruto sat at the kitchen table, sipping coffee and eating toast. Sanzoku sat nearby on his haunches, nibbling at a piece of fruit. Her mug was halfway to her mouth when Naruto sighed and locked eyes with her.

"I don't want to do this. We've just started here. What if something happens?"

Temari slowly sat her coffee mug down and looked into it, the murky liquid casting her solemn look back at her.

"I don't want to either. I keep running things over in my mind, things that could happen and things I don't want to happen. I don't want to lose you, not now."

"I don't want to lose you either."

"And neither of you shall, if we have anything to say about it."

The two blondes looked up to find Gaara and Kankurou standing in the doorway with smiles on their faces.

"What we're going to do hasn't ever been done since the days of Hanzou. Don't worry. We're going to Konoha to lay out a plan. That idiot Kira and his brother will be there as well. When you see the Raikage, you'll understand why there is little to worry about."

Temari scoffed and stood up, straightening out her robe.

"If he's anything like Kira then we have _everything_ to worry about."

Gaara fixed her with an even stare and then looked at Kankurou.

"Do you and I act anything alike, at all?"

Kankurou quirked an eyebrow and smirked.

"Of course not. I can't always be moody like you."

Gaara ignored the jab and turned back to the blondes.

"There's your answer. Now get dressed, we leave in two hours."

He walked out the door, motioning for Kankurou to follow Puppet Master stopped at the door and looked back.

"Dude, when are you going to cook for us here? How about dinner when we get back?"

Gaara's gruff voice floated around the corner.

"Kankurou, let's go."

Temari sighed and picked up their mugs, depositing them in the sink, before walking to their bedroom.

"Come on. We might as well get this over with."

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Five days later, the Suna contingency arrived at Konoha and were immediately ushered into a meeting room within the Hokage tower. Tsunade and her advisors were there, as well as several key ninja to whatever they were going to plan. The ninja of the two villages milled around, talking to one another, when Temari suddenly winced and buried her face in her hands. Naruto heard Sanzoku growl and asked the two what their problem was.

"He's here."

Naruto was about to ask whom she meant when he heard a familiar booming voice.

"Hachi Kira in the place, going too fast, you can't keep pace! My rhymes are slick, they flow so true…Who's happy to see the Killer Bee come through?"

The doors were flung open and there stood Hachi Kira, with a group of embarrassed looking people behind him. Three in particular looked ashamed while one particularly huge man reached out and grabbed the jinchuuriki by the shoulder, growling at him in a deep voice.

"Kira, I would advise you to keep your voice down while here."

The hand was shrugged off and Kira looked around the room, quickly locating his two favorite people of Suna…besides Kari.

"Naruto! Temari! Throwrug!"

**My name is Sanzoku, you fruitcake!**

A loud clap came from the front and everyone turned to see the three Kages standing behind a table. Tsunade bid them all sit and leaned against the table, her palms flat on the surface.

"We're here to discuss Akatsuki and a possible alliance between our three villages against them. With us today are ninja of Konoha, Suna, and Kumo, as well as the Kage of all three villages. I call this summit to order!"

**And...cut! Okey doke, folks. Next chapter starts the planning of the invasion of Amegakure. I'm sorry for the delay. The next chapter will be along much sooner. Let me know what you think.**


	25. Stepping into the Pouring Rain

And here's Chapter 25. Sorry about the delay, but I have had zero motivation and inspiration as of late. Not a true apology, more of an excuse I guess. In any event, enjoy. Readers, Reviewers, Thank You. **Sugarcoat**_ by Breaking Benjamin._

**CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE**

"Now then, I, Senju Tsunade, Hokage of Konohagakure, would like to welcome our allies to this summit. We are here to formulate a plan to rid ourselves of the menace of the Akatsuki. I'd like to ask the other Kage to stand and give a bit of information about their greatest assets, so that we can better formulate a plan."

The Raikage, a giant man who was as tall as Tsunade when he was sitting down, folded his arms and spoke in a booming voice.

"I believe it would be best for our host to go first. Let us know what cards you hold."

Tsunade nodded her head and clasped her hands together, her mouth hidden behind them.

"Very well. I have several high profile ninja under my rule. I believe you know most of them, so I won't mention names. All of the ninja are highly skilled and will definitely be an asset to our cause."

The Raikage nodded and leaned back a bit further in his chair, getting comfortable.

"How about some names for reassurance?"

"Very well. We have elite ninja such as Hatake Kakashi, Maito Gai, my apprentice Shizune, Mitarashi Anko, Shiranui Genma, and all their students. I believe you can match up who taught who. Now, Raikage-dono?"

The large man grunted and rose from his seat, his imposing figure casting a shadow over all in the room.

"My ninja may not be as numerous as yours, Hokage-dono, but we are all just as powerful as your most elite. My size may speak for my strength, but it does not belie my skills. I prefer taijutsu to all other forms of battle. Sadly, one of our former elite kunoichi, Nii Yugito, is no longer with us. She was the jinchuuriki for the Nibi and was captured by the Akatsuki. She would have been invaluable in this venture."

The large man took a deep breath and closed his eyes. He knew what would happen as soon as he opened his mouth.

"My brother…"

"Hachi Kira, baby! Recognize!"

The Raikage sighed and continued his speech.

"…is the jinchuuriki for the Hachibi. He can communicate with his demon and has a somewhat amicable rapport with it. Beyond what his demon can do for him, he is the most accomplished swordsman that Kumogakure has ever seen. His students, also some of the best swordsmen to come out of Kumo, are Karui, Omoi, and Samuii. Trust me when I say that their skill speaks better than any words."

Murmurs were heard throughout the room as the named ninja stood and bowed to the room, their blades clearly evident upon their backs. The Raikage bade them sit and turned to Gaara.

"I believe that it is Kazekage-dono's turn to show his hand."

Gaara snorted and rose from his chair. The crowd was silent as he gazed out over them.

"My hand is filled with nothing but aces, Raikage-dono, as is yours. We can't risk any normal ninja on this mission. Only the best will suffice. My siblings, Temari and Kankurou, and I will be along for the ride. I'm quite sure all of you know what we are capable of. Our former sensei, Baki, is adept with wind. And then there is my friend, Uzumaki Naruto."

All of the Kumo ninja turned their heads to better see the Kyuubi jinchuuriki while the Konoha nins' faces screwed up at the mention of Uzumaki, like something had left a bad taste in their mouths. Naruto tilted his chin up slightly as he stood with the rest of the Suna ninja.

"Naruto is the jinchuuriki of the Kyuubi, holder of the Raccoon Tribe contract, and master of an ancient power called 'the green'. He and Kira are what the Akatsuki want. This plan is risky, but we are all tired of being on the defensive. We need to hit them first for once. We need a plan that is near foolproof."

Everyone nodded and murmurs went through the room again as Gaara sat back down. Tsunade took that as a chance to regain the floor.

"The plan is somewhat simple. We go into Amegakure and draw out the Akatsuki. Naruto and Kira will go in first and hit the city hard. When Akatsuki notice that the two of them are leading an assault, they should come running."

"It's too dangerous to send those two in first. What if we don't react soon enough?"

Tsunade turned to look at the Raikage.

"We'll be right behind them. As soon as they make their first move, we'll move in and begin to dismantle the city. If we can find their hideout and destroy it, all the better. Even if we don't get rid of the Akatsuki this time, we will put a dent in their plans. This is what we want to do."

Gaara crossed his arms and sighed.

"We need to take them down in one fell swoop. Hit and run tactics will not work against ninja strong enough to take down countries by themselves."

Tsunade smirked and swept her hand out over the crowd of ninja.

"Any of these assembled ninja could invade a country. The only thing that would stop them is another elite ninja. That's what our plan should count on. We have enough elites to match up to the Akatsuki. Besides, I doubt Kisame is fully healed from when Naruto poisoned him, if he survived at all. That makes their forces weaker."

The Raikage gritted his teeth.

"What about the ninja of Amegakure? What do we do about them?"

"If they resist, we destroy them. That is what we will do about them."

Gaara leaned forward in his chair.

"So…we are talking about a full-scale decimation of a nation."

Tsunade nodded her head.

"Yes. We can't afford to assume that everyone is innocent that we come across. If they resist, kill them. Our strike must be swift and without mercy."

Kira, in a moment of rare seriousness, stood from his seat.

"The ninja of Ame are devoted to Pein fully and with utter loyalty. It's an almost fanatical devotion. To them, he is a god. He beat Salamander Hanzo, someone that even the Sannin could not beat in their prime. These people are not innocent. Ame is like a cult."

Tsunade blinked and nodded her head.

"What do you suggest we do?"

"Same thing you do with any cult. You have to eradicate it if you don't want its members coming back for revenge. Let Naruto and I go in first. We'll get the ball rolling. This plan is insane and there is truly no way to plan for anything. We don't know who will come from where or which Akatsuki will engage us. For that matter, who's left?"

"Kisame, Madara, Pein, Zetsu, Konan, and Itachi."

Kira hummed to himself, but soon shrugged.

"Well, any Uchiha is going to be a problem in any event. The rest…well, like I've said, it doesn't pay to be prepared because we don't know who's going to be fighting who."

Before Naruto could throw a barb back, Tsunade slapped her hand on the desk.

"Back to the matter at hand. Yes, it's true that we don't know who will be fighting who. Jiraiya has already fought Pein once. He's extremely difficult to fight and with his bodies, it just adds to the level of opponents that we'll be facing. Madara is the big question mark. We don't know what he can or would do. He's not happy with Naruto after he killed Uchiha Sasuke, so he would probably make it a point to go for him."

Naruto nodded his head and leaned back in his chair, crossing his legs at the ankles.

"Yeah, Itachi wasn't happy to cut our fight short last time either. You never know what he'll do. If Kisame is alive, he's going to be pissed at me too. I don't know anything about Zetsu or Konan."

Jiraiya kicked off from his position on the wall, everyone turning to listen when his geta clopped on the floor.

"Konan and Zetsu are…different. Both are more suited to espionage than actual fighting. That's not saying they can't hold their own in a fight though. Konan can turn her entire body into paper, sending individual parts to go accomplish separate tasks. Zetsu can somehow move through surfaces at will. It's not like the Headhunter Jutsu. He actually moves through the ground without disturbing anything."

The Raikage's chair creaked as he leaned against the table.

"Perhaps we Kage should take on Madara? That frees everyone else up for the others…"

Gaara shook his head.

"There is still Itachi and the rest. Pein himself is a small army. Jiraiya was able to stand up to three of the Peins last time. But he couldn't take on all six."

Tsunade's eyes were closed as she thought. No strategy seemed to be sound.

"What if I assign some of my elites to track down Pein on the battlefield? Jiraiya, you said that each one shares a field of vision with the others, correct?"

"Yes."

"Then the ideal thing to do would be to separate the bodies so that they can't help each other. If at least three ninja take on one body, we should be able to incapacitate them. These bodies must be destroyed completely. Jiraiya thought he killed three of them, but they easily came back to life. Hack their limbs off, do whatever you have to do."

All heads in the room nodded and Tsunade smiled. There was one strategy down. The Raikage was not a patient man when it came to planning though.

"What about Madara?"

Naruto flinched slightly as he spoke to the Raikage. Madara was a sore spot for him.

"He has the weird ability to make his body intangible. An attack on him would have to be an utter and complete surprise. He would have to be caught totally unaware. That's the problem with him."

The Raikage grunted.

"We can do that. With three of us, it should be a matter of wearing him down."

Kakashi had been silent the entire time, not even reading his book, but he couldn't keep silent any longer.

"Gai and I will take Itachi. We have the most experience fighting a Sharingan besides Naruto."

Tsunade smirked.

"And the other three members?"

Kakashi shrugged.

"Why not let everyone else have a shot?"

Kamui, one of the female students of Kira, raised her hand.

"We would like to have a shot at Kisame. We're swordsmen after all."

Kiba's hand shot into the air.

"Team Eight wants Zetsu. With our abilities, he shouldn't be able to hide from us for long."

Temari slowly raised her hand.

"I guess Kankurou and I could take on Konan. If she turnes into paper, I could always just scatter her into bits."

Kankurou nodded and Tsunade smiled.

"Well, that's all the major players. Let's lay out a bit more. I want everyone who spoke up to have more backups. Shikamaru, get your lazy ass up here and help us strategize."

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A week later, two figures sat atop a tower in Amegakure, looking out over the city. Both were thinking about how this could be their last day on earth, contemplating over everything that they had wanted to accomplish, but may never happen. Hachi Kira and Uzumaki Naruto were gathering their thoughts.

"Hey, kid?"

"Yeah?"

"You ever wonder what we did in a past life to deserve this? Were we just that bad or were we righteous and the Kami decided that we needed to be tested?"

Naruto sighed and watched as the people below went about their business.

"I think that we were chosen because the Kami has a funny sense of humor. We're all relatives or children of Kage. We're practically royalty in the ninja world. Yet, we're scorned and hated."

He turned to Kira and smiled.

"That makes us stronger people. It makes us better people. I only have to look at the pettiness that I put up with as a child to realize that I'm better than the rest of them. Pein thinks that his childhood was rough. He was an orphan in a wartorn country. Big deal. There were plenty of orphans then. I'm an orphan. But I don't call myself God and run around trying to burn the world to ashes."

"Yeah, he has a weird complex. Maybe he's compensating for something?"

Naruto snickered.

"Maybe. That's why he needs six of them."

Kira snorted.

"I bet he's a minute man too."

Naruto's cheeks puffed out from holding in his laughter.

"Yeah, but you know what they say, don't you?"

Kira shook his head, the grin on his face evident. Naruto took a deep breath.

"Even something only two inches long can hurt someone if it's coming in at two hundred miles an hour."

Kira let out a barking laughter and slapped his knee. The two sat there chuckling for a moment before both sighed and rose to their feet. Kira rolled his shoulders and cracked his neck while Naruto held his hand out and his staff burst from the wooden shingled roof. Kira quirked an eyebrow.

"I'll never get used to that. You ready, kid?"

"Yeah…ready as I'll ever be. How do you want to start this?"

Kira sucked in a quick breath.

"You use that power of yours and try to break that tower in the middle of the city in half. Then summon Tsubasa and run rampant. Destroy as much as you can…did you tell Temari goodbye?"

"No. It would have felt like I wasn't coming back. We kind of avoided each other before this."

"That wasn't good, kid. You shouldn't avoid things like that. She'll be pissed if you die and vice versa."

"What about you and Kari?"

"That's none of your concern."

The two stared at each other before Naruto spoke.

"So…what are you going to do to start this off?"

Kira grinned and turned his head to Naruto, his face already peeling.

"Me? Well, I'm letting the Hachibi out to play. Good luck, Uzumaki Naruto. If we make it out of this alive I'll sing you a song."

"How about we just get a drink?"

Kira nodded and held out his hand, the flesh on his arm already peeling away. Naruto grasped it and the two gave each other a firm shake. Kira let go and backpedaled to the edge of the building. He held his arms out to the side and teetered back and forth.

"See you on the flipside, flower boy."

With that he fell over the edge. Within moments a large boom sounded and the roar of the Hachibi echoed throughout Amegakure. Naruto concentrated on the tower in the middle and it shattered as two large redwoods burst from underneath it, tearing it in half. Without delay he shoved the staff into the ground and ran through the seals for the summoning. He had left Sanzoku with Temari, as he'd be more help to her than to him. A large burst came forth and Naruto was standing on Tsubasa's nose, the building he'd been standing on crushed beneath him.

**Naruto, I assume this is important?**

"Sure is. We're invading Amegakure."

Tsubasa nodded his massive head and crossed his eyes so he could better see the boy.

**Total destruction then?**

"Whatever you want to do, do it."

**Excellent. Well, I'm off to cause mayhem then. Call me if you need help.**

Naruto shouted his thanks and Tsubasa wandered off into the city, swinging his tail and taking out buildings. Naruto leapt off the rubble he had been standing on and began making his way into the city.

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Tsunade and the others watched from a few miles away as Tsubasa and the Hachibi seemed to be having a contest of who could cause the most destruction. Currently, the Hachibi was winning by swinging its tails in all directions. Tsunade looked at the other Kage and nodded her head.

"Well, I guess that's the signal. Remember; try not to engage any of the Akatsuki alone. And always keep your comrades in view. To victory!"

"TO VICTORY!"

And the mass of people ran toward Amegakure. Several patrols that were outside the city were wiped out by the advancing troops of three major villages. Tsunade and the Raikage drew their fists back as they approached the gates of the village and knocked them down with a mighty blow from each Kage. The ninja of the allied villages scattered into groups as they entered the city, each going to seek out the Akatsuki.

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Pein and Madara were talking of their next move when they felt the first few explosions rock their city. Pein looked out the window to see the Hachibi and Tsubasa reeking havoc.

"So…they have finally come. I did not expect the Hachibi to be with them. This just makes everything easier."

Madara grabbed Pein's arm before he could leave.

"Do not underestimate the Kyuubi jinchuuriki. He's more than he seems."

"Yes, the plant life. I shall take care of him."

"They are sure to have more than just the two of them. Take care of the other forces first."

"As you wish, Madara-sama."

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Konan was checking up on Kisame when the explosions rocked the tower they were in and part of it crumbled away. She was just about to see what the matter was when Zetsu appeared from the ceiling.

**"The Kyuubi brat has arrived with the Hachibi.**_ They are destroying the village._ **Madara-sama says now is the time to act."**

Konan nodded and made her way out the door. Zetsu turned to Kisame, who still lay on the bed, and grinned eerily.

"_I wonder if you taste as good as shark-fin soup?_ **Surely your flesh would be delicious."**

Kisame bared his teeth and reached for Samehada.

"Try it, freak."

Zetsu laughed and sank back into the ceiling. Kisame lay back against the headboard for a moment before lurching to his feet and grabbing his cloak. He buttoned it up swiftly and swung Samehada to his back. His breathing was still labored, but he would manage. As he walked out the door, he grinned.

He had a score to settle.

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Temari cracked another ninja's skull open with her fan as she made her way down the streets. These people were fanatical, just as Kira had said. They came to battle screaming about serving Pein-sama and how it was an honor to die in his service. She saw a glimpse of Tsubasa's tail as it crushed another building and wondered how Naruto was doing.

Out of the corner of her eyes she saw a ninja running at her with a dagger, but she wouldn't be able to turn in time to block. She braced for impact, tryin to turn so it wouldn't be lethal, when a large red blur the size of an elephant tackled the ninja and tore his head off. Sanzoku shook himself to get rid of the dust and waddled over to Temari.

**Watch your back, damn it! I can't be there all the time.**

"Stupid rat. If I didn't have to watch your back all the time, I _could_ watch my own."

**You're welcome, bitch.**

Temari blew another ninja away with a gust from her fan and kept walking.

"Fuck you."

**I _said_, you're welcome, bitch!**

"Fuck You!"

**The thanks I get…ungrateful…**

"You two need to be quiet. It's hard to sneak around when you're both that loud.

"Shut up, Kankurou!"

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Tsunade, Jiraiya, and Gaara each struck down another ninja before the cries of several of their own made them turn to face a side street. Holding a Suna nin by the neck was none other than the God Realm Pein.

"Hello again, Jiraiya-sensei. It is quite an honor. No one has ever had the privilege of being my enemy and seeing my face twice. No one but you."

Jiraiya made little of the comment, keeping himself on guard.

"Where are the other Peins?"

"We are here. We are watching. Pain will come to all of you. This world must be cleansed."

Gaara and Tsunade were on edge as one by one the other Peins appeared. Tsunade cast a careful eye to Jiraiya and found him stony faced. The white-haired sennin took two steps back and spoke quietly to the two.

"Have all our available people, including you two, dogpile the Peins. Keep them occupied for a few moments."

Tsunade started to protest, but he silenced her.

"No, Hime. Just do as I say."

Without another word Tsunade, Gaara, and all the available ninja leapt forward and engaged the Peins. Jiraiya stepped back again and closed his eyes. It would be difficult to call forth Ma and Pa with one arm, but he'd manage.

They'd all manage.

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The Raikage and Kira's students were in the eastern sector of the city when origami swarmed them and tried to cut them. Karui, Samui, and Omoi all drew their swords and began to hack away at the paper swarm. The Raikage grabbed a fistful of the paper and crumpled it in his hand, trying to burn it with lightning chakra. Above them, Konan reformed, some of her paper wings singed. The Raikage was not amused.

"Akatsuki scum! Come down here!"

Konan merely gazed upon them, her thousand-yard stare somewhat unsettling. Omoi became impatient with her and hurled a handful of shuriken at her face. A wall of paper appeared and blocked the shuriken, before hurling them back at him.

"All who oppose Pein must die."

She said nothing else as she divebombed the four. They just prepared for the worst.

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Temari, Kankurou, and Sanzoku crept along a wall close to what they assumed used to be the administration building. Sanzoku was in the front, changed into his normal small size, sniffing out any sign of what could be an Akatsuki. Temari nearly stepped on him when he came to a halt and the hairs on his back stood on end, a low growl emanating from him. She was just about to ask what was wrong when a voice broke through around them.

"**I think the kunoichi will be tastier. She looks lean.**_ No, I believe the shinobi will be better. He has more muscle."_

The strange ninja got a good look at Sanzoku and licked his lips.

"**We believe the rat will be better eating.**_ Yes, the gamier, the better."_

Sanzoku growled again and began to grow. Kankurou unsealed his puppets, and Temari hefted her fan. No one knew what Zetsu was capable of. That made him one of the most dangerous. The instant Sanzoku leapt, the two siblings were right behind him.

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Naruto hit another Ame nin upside the head with his staff, bludgeoning the man to death, and spun to avoid a sword swipe. The man who swung at him backed up and that's when Naruto noticed he was surrounded. The Ame ninja all drew their sword or kunai and the ninja who had swung at him attacked again. He and Naruto began a series of dodges and parries.

Unbeknownst to the two combatants, a different fight was going on. The ring of Ame nin surrounding the two was soon decimated without their noticing. Naruto and the ninja locked up again and pushed off one another. As the man skidded backwards, his shoulder was suddenly caught in something and a chunk of his body was ripped away. He screamed in agony before he was silenced by the sound of his neck snapping.

Naruto looked on, shocked, as Hoshigake Kisame dropped the man and pointed Samehada at him. The giant of a man looked unsteady on his feet and highly irritated.

"You…you got a lot of nerve coming here after what you did to me. I want a rematch, punk, when I'm not carrying dead weight. Let's see what those plants can do against someone who's attacking you."

Naruto's face was utterly serious as he held the staff in front of him.

"You won't survive twice, Kisame. It's a miracle that you survived at all. Those plants aren't even supposed to have an antidote to their poison."

Kisame grinned and readied himself.

"Guess I'm just special, brat. You'll find out how special shortly. I don't even care about Akatsuki anymore."

As Naruto began to glow green, he grinned.

"You shouldn't. You were dead the moment you showed up here."

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Madara sat upon a piece of rubble in Pein's tower, looking out over the village. It wasn't the first time he'd seen a village in ruins. It probably wouldn't be the last either. The door behind him creaked and his head rose slightly.

"So…you've come at last. I've always wondered how long it would take for you to betray me…Itachi."

Itachi showed no emotion as he regarded the back of Madara.

"It's hard to betray one of which you were never truly in service of. What you call betrayal, I call vindication."

Madara's head quirked to the side slightly, intrigued.

"Vindication? Of what?"

"You killed my family."

Madara turned so one Sharingan could see the younger Uchiha.

"_I_ killed your family? I think your history is skewed, son."

Itachi shook his head.

"No, my history is not skewed. You killed our family the day you killed your own brother. We were cursed to be eradicated ever since then. Someone just had to be brave enough to begin the process."

Madara slowly nodded as he rose from his seat.

"And I suppose you think that you will end the story of the Uchiha?"

Itachi slid his sword from its scabbard with a small click and closed his eyes.

"The story is already over. This is the epilogue of the Uchiha Clan. The page where we fade from the light and once again embrace the darkness as the cover falls."

He opened his eyes to reveal the Sharingan and Madara snorted, drawing his own sword.

"I've been in the darkness, boy. I'm never going back."

"I never said you had a choice, Uchiha Madara. Either way, the story ends today."

**Setting up, setting up, setting up...let me know what you think. Oh, what tangled webs are woven...**


	26. Downpour

And here's Chapter 26. It took a while, I know, but I want this to be right and I want you to enjoy what I've written. Now, that said, enjoy. Readers, Reviewers, Thank You...**Criminal**_ by Eminem._

**CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX**

Steps echoed through the ruined building, even though the fighting going on outside was near deafening. To the two men circling each other, there was nothing else in the world at that moment. Uchiha Madara and Uchiha Itachi stared each other down, their Sharingan eyes spinning the whole while.

Neither one had made the first move yet, both knowing that the other was dangerous, too dangerous to rush toward. Madara knew that Itachi was quite possibly the best Sharingan user to come about since he had been in his prime. No one could surpass his skill or his dedication, not even his now deceased brother. Itachi knew Madara was cunning, canny, and devious. He knew of the man's ability to warp time and space. He knew that the man had forgotten more about the Sharingan than he probably would ever know.

But Itachi held a couple of wildcards, aces that he had wisely kept hidden until now. One was his shield, a mystic mirror that reflected any attack. He'd had to tell Madara of his sword, but he hadn't told the man the whole truth. Yes, the sword trapped the user in a blissful genjutsu for all eternity, but that was not all it did. The sword was not material and therefore, could be used in tangent with Susanoo.

It was risky to use and more than likely death inducing, but Itachi had nothing left to gain. Madara had everything to lose. Both knew the other had to die.

The footsteps stopped simultaneously and the two sprang for one another. A clang rang throughout the room, revealing both had drawn swords. Itachi threw his cloak off to the side, revealing the Uchiha fan on the back of his shirt, ripped in half by his own hand. It was a declaration to Madara that blood would not save him. The elder Uchiha sighed as he unsnapped his own cloak and let it drop to the floor, staring all the while at Itachi's back.

"So, you would even forsake your name? I'm disappointed in you, Itachi. I thought your goal was to reestablish the Uchiha name as an honorable one."

Itachi slowly turned so he could see the orange mask of Madara with one eye, the Sharingan within it slowly turning.

"That dream died along with my brother. My dreams rested on his shoulders and he simply could not take the responsibility. I'm glad that Uzumaki Naruto killed him before he could shame our family even more."

The younger man's eyes narrowed as Madara reached up to his mask and pushed it upward, revealing more and more of his face as he went. With one final shove, the elastic band holding it to his head slipped off and the porcelain cover clattered to the floor.

"I guess I won't be needing that anymore. I can see that I'll need both eyes to deal with you, child. No one else in our clan has ever come close to surpassing me. Yes, I'll have to deal with you accordingly."

The sharp sound of porcelain breaking rebounded off the walls as Madara crushed the mask underfoot, his carefully measured steps taking him closer to Itachi. The younger man sighed unhappily and tightened his grip on his sword as his Sharingan began to spin faster.

"That was always your problem, Madara. You always saw the clan. You always saw them as an ambition for yourself. A stepping stone. That's why the clan had to die. They saw themselves as you had. They couldn't see my way of looking at the people within the clan."

Madara cocked his head to the side, intrigued.

"And how did you see them?"

Itachi's mouth grew tighter and his muscles tensed.

"They were my family. That's why it hurt so much to kill them…and why you'll never know the pain I experienced when I did it. A clan is just a gathering of like-minded individuals. A family is made up of those who love one another."

Madara received no warning before Itachi rushed forward. Talking was done. This was the same as when he'd fought Hashirama…a clash of ideals.

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The sand and rocks sprayed everywhere as Naruto dodged another swing of Samehada. The giant blue skinned man wielding the massive zanbatou yanked it free of the trench it had created and grinned.

"Not so high and mighty now, are you? I might not be at one hundred percent, but I'm more than enough for you!"

Naruto skidded to a stop, his left hand slowing his slide with chakra, his right hand still clutching his staff. He'd never actually faced Kisame in battle, but he could see why the man was feared. The poison thorns he had used on the shark-like swordsman had been of the most lethal quality, plants that weren't even supposed to have an antidote. It was a testament to his tenacity that he was even standing and fighting.

The pounding of feet behind Kisame alerted him to backup from Amegakure troops and he grimaced. He didn't want to fight more of those fanatical idiots. The leader of the squad led his men right up behind the glaring Hoshigaki, his eyes locked onto Naruto.

"Kisame-sama! We're here to help you with the invaders! Allow us to…"

Kisame silenced the man without looking; swinging Samehada backwards and knocking the man's head clean off his shoulders. The others stared in horror as his body slumped to the ground and his killer snarled.

"He's _mine_! Stay the hell out of this or I'll kill you all!"

Naruto decided it was better to be safe than sorry and struck the ground with his staff. The Ame ninja never had a chance before giant roots crushed them flat. Kisame merely cut through them and rushed towards the kneeling Naruto. The blond rose swiftly and blocked Samehada with his staff, causing Kisame's bloodshot, beady eyes to widen.

"What is that thing made of? Nothing has ever stood up to Samehada!"

Naruto slid to the side and let Samehada continue on its way, his staff trailing behind him as he swung for Kisame's ribs. Naruto saw a kick coming out of the corner of his eyes and peeled off to the side, running up a wall, flipped away. Kisame glared at the Ame nin and roared.

"I said he's mine!"

Naruto made no move to stop Kisame as he slaughtered the squad of Ame ninja quickly. The shark-like man turned to Naruto, his eyes ablaze.

"What's the matter? Not gonna yell at me about how their lives shouldn't have been wasted?"

Naruto frowned as he hopped off the wall, his coat flapping as he fell. Once he was on solid ground again, he began to glow a slight green again.

"Not really. You're just making my job easier. I've become a lot more used to the idea of taking life in my later years. Keep it up, Kisame. Your end is here."

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This day would mark another milestone in Kankurou's life. This was the second time he had ever invaded another country and it was also the second time he had ever faced a member of Akatsuki. The last time he had faced a member of the organization, he had been alone and he had been foolhardy. This time, he had enough backup and he had the experience, but his opponent was like nothing he had ever faced.

He heard Temari wordlessly scream in frustration as she slammed her fan down in the spot where Zetsu had been previously. Sanzoku sniffed the air for the man's scent and slammed his frizzed tail down. It was maddening fighting the man. They needed a Doton user to uproot the earth or at least someone with knowledge of what he could do.

Zetsu grinned as he emerged high above them, his body halfway in the ruins of a building.

"**We have not had this much fun in such a long time.**_ Yes, but Mother always told us not to play with our food._ **Bah, Mother isn't here anymore, remember**?"

Kankurou's salamander puppet rushed forward and up the wall, trying to catch the nin before he could escape again. The plant like man merely disappeared and reappeared again, back on ground level this time. The salamander leapt off the building, landing beside Kankurou again, who frowned and moved closer to Temari, who was grinding her teeth.

"Ugh, he is so infuriating! We can't seem to hit him, no matter what."

Temari nodded her head grimly, her eyes searching for any sign of the eccentric man, as her hands gripped her fan tightly.

"We need someone like Gaara here. He could crush the sand and drive him out. Or Jiraiya-sama. His Doton jutsu are especially powerful."

Sanzoku growled and edged toward them, leaving them all standing in a line facing Zetsu.

**What we need is a way to keep him out of the ground. If he stays above ground, I can tear him to pieces. I can smell him, but I can't react fast enough to catch him. Temari!**

The blonde cut her eyes over and hissed.

"What? Can't you see I'm trying to watch him?"

**Summon Kamatari next time you see Zetsu. He's really quick! Between the two of us, I think we can get him.**

Kankurou leaned over.

"What about me?"

Temari smirked and hefted her fan.

"Use your puppets like you should have been doing from the start."

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Paper whipped by the Raikage's cheek, leaving a shallow cut, as his fist sailed into a metal pipe, blowing right through it. Behind him, his top three ninja fought frantically to keep the other pieces of paper at bay. The large man spat on the ground and looked up to where half of Konan's body was hovering above them on a ledge, her stoic face staring down at them.

The giant bent low and leapt upward toward the blue haired woman, but the paper converged on him. The Raikage ducked his head and channeled electricity through his body, trying to fry the pieces of parchment, to no avail. Konan directed her small leaflets to slam the Raikage back to the ground. Only a few were burnt in the process. The paper returned to her body, reforming the lower half, while the Raikage stood up.

"So…she can only do so much with her paper body…that's useful. In this wet environment, it has to be a handicap."

Samui stepped up next to him and spoke.

"Raikage-sama, we know nothing of her true abilities. What if this isn't even her? What if it's a paper clone?"

The Raikage grinned evilly and lightning crackled in his hands.

"Then we burn it to ashes and seek out the real one. Either way, this wench dies here. Ready your swords. Don't hold back."

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Tsunade had watched in awe as Jiraiya bit his wrists and began to paint his face swiftly with the blood. Before anyone could move, two small toads appeared on his shoulders, arguing back and forth around Jiraiya's head.

**Damn it, Pa! I had supper all laid out! He could have waited thirty seconds for me to put it away!**

**Ma, Jiraiya-chan doesn't call us unless he's in trouble…and it looks like it's Pein again.**

The old female toad narrowed her eyes and glared out at God-Realm Pein, whose fist was clenching and unclenching. Jiraiya never took his eyes off of his former student as he began to walk forward to join the frontline again.

"I'm sorry for getting you two into this again. I really, truly am."

Ma smacked Jiraiya in the head and turned her attention back to Pein.

**It's nothing, Jiraiya-chan. I'm just angry that supper is going to get cold.**

Tsunade and the others were stunned. The blonde Hokage had heard from Jiraiya that his form was powerful, but he'd also jokingly said that it was grotesque and that women would hate it. Her eyes roamed over his large bulbous nose to his sunken eyes, from his sharpened teeth to his newly appeared goatee. It was decidedly Jiraiya and at the same time it was a totally new entity. She could practically feel the power oozing off of him.

"Sensei…This will be the last time you ever use that form. You escaped God's judgment last time. You shall not do so twice."

Jiraiya grinned and stepped forward, ready to lead the charge.

"Your so-called 'judgment' has cost a lot of innocent people a lot of things, Nagato. My arm, the lives of all the jinchuuriki, the sanity of the people of Ame…you are not what this world needs."

The Toad Sennin kicked his geta off, sending them flying at Pein's head. They were easily knocked aside and the white haired man bent low. Tsunade finally found enough of her voice to say what was on everyone's minds.

"Jiraiya…what did you do to yourself?"

Gaara, Kakashi, and the others nodded and Jiraiya snorted.

"We don't have time for that, Hime. I'll tell you all about it if we survive."

The tall, ponytailed Summon Pein was launched into the air by Demon Realm and Jiraiya pointed upward.

"Tsunade! Sakura! Take care of the Summons Pein!"

The two women set off, just as Summons Realm brought a giant centipede and a multi-headed dog onto the scene. The rest of the group gathered around Jiraiya, letting him take command. The old pervert and the Ni Dai Sennin all smirked and rushed forward, gunning for God Realm.

"Take whichever one you can! Be on the lookout for trickery!"

The Peins' Rinnegan eyes all narrowed and they spoke in unison.

"Let our justice be done."

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The Hachibi cackled as it destroyed another building and called out to Tsubasa.

That makes forty for me! How many have you crushed, Tsubasa?

The Raccoon King swiped his tail, taking out another water tower.

**That makes forty-two structures for me. Oh ho! What's this?**

The two behemoths turned to find a large centipede and a dog rampaging through the city. Tsubasa grinned and began to waddle in that direction at a clipped pace.

**First one to kill a Summons wins?**

How about whoever kills the most? I'm curious as to how many he really has.

**Agreed. Destroying buildings was getting old anyway.**

Tsubasa's tail whacked the dog in the head, making it cry out in pain, and the Hachibi wrapped its tentacles around the centipede, both unmindful of the fight between Tsunade, Sakura, and Summon Realm below.

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Naruto and Kisame both noticed the summons of Pein and Kisame grinned.

"Looks like your friends don't have much longer. Pein seems to be pulling out all the stops. It's just a matter of time before they're stomped flat."

Naruto's grimace turned back to a grin when he noticed Tsubasa waddle onto the scene and engage the dog, the Hachibi tackling the centipede. The blond pushed the sharklike man backwards with a sudden thrust and sent a volley of vines to grab him. Kisame, though he was stumbling slightly, hacked away at the vines, none of them ever touching him.

"It seems the sides are even now. It was only a matter of time before Tsubasa and the Hachibi decided to join in the fight, instead of just destroying things. Now then, before we were so rudely interrupted, allow me to show you a bit more of what I could have done to you that day."

Kisame wasn't about to give his foe an inch. He had had a long time to recover from that poison, but some of it was still in his veins…and the exertion from fighting was not helping him fend off the bile he could feel at the back of his throat. The blue-skinned man had never been sick a day in his life and that sensation of being weak and helpless…he never wanted to feel that again.

Samehada collided with that strange staff again and both men struggled against the other. Kisame reached out with his free hand and grabbed onto the blond's throat, trying to choke the life out of him, when the 'green' wielder exploded into smoke. The sudden loss of force against him made Hoshigake lurch forward. Regaining his footing quickly, his vision caught a puddle of water and the sight of Naruto bearing down on him with a Rasengan. The sharp-toothed man spun quickly and blocked the attack with Samehada, absorbing the chakra.

"Nice try, kid, but you should have known better."

Kisame screamed hoarsely when something suddenly bit into his legs and he looked down to see those familiar black thorns that had given him trouble before, another Naruto directing them with that damnable staff. The blond who had tried to use Rasengan on him disappeared and the former member of the Seven Swordsmen shouted to the heavens.

"Damn you and your clones! _I hate you_!"

Naruto didn't even bother to grin. It was time to finish this one off and rejoin the others. His aura glowed a brighter green and he slammed the staff into the ground once more. Giant trees erupted from the ground, uprooting buildings and piping systems, encircling the two men. A wave of the staff brought forth vines that wove themselves around the trees, pulling them closer together, until no light could be seen between the bark.

Kisame stood upright and gritted his teeth as he dragged Samehada across the deep scratches that Naruto's blade had made, in an effort to bleed out the poison. His beady eyes glanced all around at the arena Naruto had formed for them and a devious plan came to his mind.

"So…I take it this thing you've made is escape proof?"

Naruto nodded, a smirk on his face.

"Air tight?"

Another nod.

"Water tight?"

Naruto's smirk widened, but quickly disappeared when Kisame cackled loudly. The blue-skinned man couldn't believe his luck. His own smirk made Naruto uneasy.

"I guess they never shared the details of my fight with Maito Gai with you. This little area will be your watery grave."

Naruto watched as Kisame flipped through a few handsigns and water began to spew from his mouth, filling the area as if by magic, for no human body could possibly hold that much within them. He cursed in his mind. Of course, Kisame was an elite for a reason. He was the premier Suiton user alive at the moment. This was not beyond the scope of his power.

As the water rose, Naruto used his chakra to stay afloat, it would be much harder to use his green powers with this much water about…or would it? Kisame's evil chuckle echoed across the blue expanse as he began to sink below the surface.

"Welcome to my world, you little bastard. Let's see how you like being on the receiving end of things that bite."

Naruto readied himself for whatever may come, his mind already thinking furiously ahead.

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Madara had always known that Itachi was his equal. He had always known that the younger Uchiha would be a problem. The only thing that Itachi lacked was the Eternal Mangekyou and that wasn't proving to be much of a problem for him. The stoic young man was keeping up with him and then some. He'd have to try something drastic soon.

Itachi's eyes darted back and forth as he and Madara exchanged blows, neither one ever landing anything decisive. Despite keeping up with his ancestor, Itachi was worried. His vision was blurring and he knew that prolonging his use of the Sharingan was dangerous. He'd have to use his available assets to even have a hope of killing the ultimate Uchiha traitor.

Deciding that further wasting of time would be unwise, Itachi let his Mangekyou flare into existence, the colors of the world brightening. If all went well, this would be the last time a Sharingan was seen in this world. Madara was unfazed and stared across the expanse.

"I'll forgive you if you cease with this futility, Itachi. I know rebellion runs deep in the youth of the world."

Itachi's answer was to open his eyes wide and the black flames of Amaterasu licked and burned their way across the building's floor toward Madara. The older man watched the flames approach and his own Sharingan began to spin. Itachi ignored the flames that were being extinguished and instead sprinted forward through the flames, clearing a path as he went. His sword dipped down into the dark flame, coating his blade, and he slashed at Madara's chest.

Engrossed in his task of controlling the flames, Madara's reaction was a tad too late. Itachi's sword bit across his chest, the fire searing into his flesh, and the wielder of the Eternal Mangekyou screamed in agony. Letting his control of the rest of the flames go, he turned his attention to the ones licking at his now blackened skin. Itachi noticed the lack of control and regained the remaining flames.

With his chest no longer on fire, Madara ground his teeth in fury, and shouted.

"Enough!"

Itachi watched in disbelief as the flames all disappeared into nothingness and looked back up. So…he'd have to try harder. Well, that was all right. Every Sharingan was different in a way.

His just happened to be a very defensive one…

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Tsunade watched as the exuberant Tsubasa and Hachibi tackled the summons they had been after and blinked in surprise. She was sure that the Summons Pein was just as dumbfounded, but there was no time to waste.

"Sakura! Come on, we have to stop Pein!"

The girl with rose-colored hair gave a quick, concise nod and bolted after her sensei toward the blond, ponytailed Pein. Rinnegan eyes turned to the two women and two more beasts were summoned.

**How rude! I wasn't finished playing with my partner yet!**

Hey! Don't take the rhino! That's the one I wanted!

**Fine, then hurry up! Now, doggy, sit!**

The Cerberus look-alike dog cried out in pain and crumbled to the ground as Tsubasa slammed all its weight onto its spine, crushing it beneath his weight. Leaving the mutt to mend itself or die, he didn't really care which, the Raccoon King turned his attention to the giant panda that had appeared. With identical snarls, the two leviathans tied up again.

The Summons Pein scowled and prepared to summon more animals when a fist impacted with his face. The ponytailed man flew to the right, toward a giant pipe, when a gloved fist slammed into his skull and he was sent flying at high speeds to the ground. Tsunade and Sakura both channeled chakra to their feet and rushed after him. Letting even one Pein have a moment to recuperate was a huge mistake.

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Jiraiya barked directions to all the assembled ninja, sending them toward the Peins as he strode forward, his eyes locked onto the body of Yahiko. He struggled to keep his breathing under control; his rage and excitement battling each other for supremacy. Pein simply looked on as his other bodies were entangled in individual fights.

"You won't win here. Your strategy has been tried before and it has always failed."

The white-maned Toad Sannin stopped walking and chuckled.

"You're still the same scared little child that I remember. You might be revered as a god by your followers, but you're really a coward, Nagato."

Rinnegan eyes narrowed, the first true sign that Pein was annoyed by anything. Jiraiya smirked and cut a glance to his arm.

"I don't know what this body's ability is. That puts me at a disadvantage, but I know something about you that you'll deny to your dying day."

"And that is?"

Jiraiya's smirk widened into a broad grin, made even more sinister due to his new looks.

"You're a coward, Nagato. A true coward. You're not even really here."

The auburn eyebrows of the Yahiko body flew upward and Fukasaku squirmed a bit.

Jiraiya-chan, you're wasting time.

"I know. But he needs to know that once we're done with these puppets that we're coming for him. He won't be able to hide behind corpses anymore."

Pein didn't even bother to move as Jiraiya suddenly sprang forward, his fist drawn back.

"We shall see, sensei."

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Temari watched carefully as Zetsu rose from the ground once more, her bloodied thumb swiping across the parchment of the fan quickly, and with a cry and mighty swing, Kamatari hurtled toward the two-faced man at breakneck speeds, his scythes at the ready.

The weasel chirped as he flew, sending scythe after scythe at Zetsu's head. With a speed they hadn't thought he possessed, the man from Kusa disappeared into the ground again, and Kamatari came to a rest on the rubble of all the mortar and metal girders that he had destroyed. Clucking his tongue in annoyance, the vest wearing summon scampered across the moist ground to stand by his mistress.

**I missed.**

Temari shook her head and clasped her fan closed again.

"It's nothing. Sanzoku can't catch him either."

Kamatari looked up at his much larger furry cohort and snorted.

**Well, he has been getting fat, just lying around all the time.**

Sanzoku growled and shook the moisture from his coat.

**I'll deal with you and your snide comments later, cousin. Right now, I need your help in finding him. Don't aim for his head next time. Send your blades to his knees, make him leave the earth. If he's not touching a solid surface, he's exposed.**

Temari spread her fan once more and Kamatari hopped onto the parchment with a squeak, his giant scythe tucked behind his back. His beady eyes narrowed as they waited for Zetsu to poke up again and he prepared to summon more of his deadly sickles. The blonde woman grimaced and spoke in a quiet voice.

"Kankurou, henge your puppets into us and then cloak us with a genjutsu. Keep everything as true to form as possible. Draw him out to the center of that clear spot."

Kankurou nodded his head and did as he was told, his puppets rushing to the middle and looking around as he hid the original bodies with a clever illusion. The four watched as the puppets began to bicker with one another, twirling to watch all sides. Zetsu leered at the puppets from a high vantage point across the clearing, deciding how to deal with them best. He was getting bored at this point…and hungry.

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Kakashi, Lee, and Gai had taken the mechanical Pein as far away as they could, trying to keep its vision obscured from the others. It didn't matter if the other Peins shared a field of vision with each other if they couldn't watch each other's backs to make it effective. Gai and Lee were giving a ball, dodging the attacks of the multi-faced man while Kakashi stood back, waiting for an opportune chance to strike.

As he stood there, he noticed that the area they were fighting in had already been ravaged by someone, as there were several bodies strewn about, and several tell-tale signs that Naruto had been there. Case in point, the various vines and flora that were not native to Ame. His trained eye then noticed that, while the rest of the area was mortar, concrete, and steel, there was a large structure that seemed out of place.

Edging over towards the object of his curiosity, he knocked on it and found it to be an expanse of trees, incredibly large trees, that were bound together and formed some sort of fort. Leaving the mystery of the trees for the moment, he turned his attention back to the melee below and watched carefully with his Sharingan for an opening, but in the back of his mind, he was worried.

If Naruto had been here recently, then where was he now? And who was he fighting?

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High above the city, in the upper most room of the tower that Itachi and Madara were battling in, a blue-haired woman pressed against the glass of a window, looking out over the fighting that was taking place. A heavy sigh escaped her lips as she turned away, her fingers trailing down the pane, making a slight squeak. Konan opened her eyes and looked across the room to the other occupant, who sat in a curved, eggshell shaped chair.

"My bunshin will not last long against the Raikage and his followers. Soon, they'll seek out the others and begin to help them."

"I know."

Her normally stoic visage flashed with anger for but a moment, before returning to passiveness.

"I don't know what is going on with your bodies, but I know that you have never faced a force like this before. Hanzou was getting on in years when you defeated him, however powerful he may have been."

"I know."

Konan knelt down on her knees before the figure and gazed into its eyes. Gray, ringed eyes stared back at her from between a mass of black hair, the traces of madness behind them easily visible. Her pierced lip trembled and she reached out a hand for the man's pale cheek.

"I'm scared, Nagato. What if we've been traveling the wrong path all along? What if Jiraiya-sensei was right last time? You've been calling yourself a god for so long. The gods will not look kindly on that if you die and have to face them."

Rinnegan eyes twitched back and forth, but he didn't register otherwise that he'd heard her. Konan stood up and went back to the window, looking out over the sprawl once more. A scratchy voice floated to her ears and she closed her eyes.

"I am Pein. I am God. Just as the old stories tell of life on earth being extinguished because of man's wickedness, so shall my wrath be felt. I will cleanse this world and begin a new one, under a new god."

Konan didn't answer. She'd heard it all before. That didn't make the sinking feeling in her stomach go away though.

**Yeah, yeah. I'm still setting things up. I'm going back and doing a bit of research as well on past canon chapters to make things more...authentic. Next chapter will see resolutions to a few fights though. And check out the new poll on my bio page. I'd like to know what people's favorite NaruTema story is. Be honest. See ya next time.**


	27. Surprise, Surprise

And here's Chapter 27. I apologize for the delay, but I hit a spot of writer's block with this one. Still, I hope you enjoy it. Readers, Reviewers, Thank You...**Remember (Walking in the Sand)**_ by Aerosmith._

_Also, just a quick heads up. I've been nominated for Author of the Year, Story of the Year, and Saddest Ending in the **Second Annual Naruto Fanfiction Awards**. Please, go to **teamdarkhope(dot)synthasite(dot)com** and vote for me. I appreciate you guys sticking with me and all my little stories._

**CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN**

**Boom. Boom. Boom. Boom.**

Kakashi looked over his shoulder at the giant trees behind him, unnerved with the incessant pounding coming from within. He could only imagine what was in there that could make that kind of unholy racket and hoped that it didn't have anything to with Naruto. He'd only just recently gotten back in his former student's good graces…he didn't need him dying on him just yet.

A hand rocketed past his face, barely missing him, and struck the bark hard, sending a shower of splinters in the Copy Ninja's direction. He leapt to the side and ran for better cover to wait for his chance to strike. Gai and Lee engaged the Pein body again, distracting it from sending more missiles his way.

Curious as to what the construct's true purpose was, Kakashi crept back over and looked at where the Pein had struck at him. A tiny crack in the structure was bleeding water…and the crack was getting bigger every second.

Well…he'd have to figure it out later. The 'cat' part of his nickname was killing him at the moment though. And you know what they say about cats and curiosity…

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"Hold still, you little bastard!"

Naruto ground his teeth in frustration as he ran sideways on the trees he had created, a water shark striking the wall just behind him every few feet. Kisame was showing just why he was a prominent Suiton user, effortlessly creating the sharks despite his weakened condition.

Kisame had not come out of the water for several minutes as he tried to skewer Naruto with water spikes, tear his flesh with water sharks, or rend his flesh with a quick swipe from Samehada when the blond ventured too far out into the water. The blond couldn't even catch a moment to concentrate so he could try his plan…and Kisame knew that. His head was only above water long enough to taunt his opponent before diving under again.

Naruto was noticing something that he hoped Kisame wasn't though. As he ran around the cylinder, he noticed that the water level was dropping at a slow, but steady pace. This could only mean that something had punctured the outside wall at some point, meaning there was fighting going on near them. Imprisoning both him and his opponent suddenly wasn't such a hot idea, as he couldn't see or help his comrades outside.

His hands flew together in the seal for Kage Bunshin and four of them puffed into existence, already running along with their creator. He needed to get Kisame out of the water and fast. The four peeled off and sprinted across the water, stopping at even intervals near the edge.

Kisame poked his head out of the water just high enough for his nose to break the surface and breathed. The gills on the side of his head provided him with a bit of oxygen beneath the surface, but he was still human and had to come up for air. He'd noticed the four clones as they ran across the water's surface. How could he not? The ripples they sent throughout the liquid reverberated through him. He didn't need to know what his idiot of a foe was planning; he just knew he had to stop it.

The rasengan they were forming weren't helping his disposition any and he took off toward one, sending water sharks for the other three. The sharks hit their mark and he shredded the surprised clone with Samehada, letting his sword eat up the chakra hungrily, before whipping around to seek out Naruto.

The jinchuuriki was standing parallel to the water, his eyes shut in concentration, his hands wrapped tightly around the gnarled staff. Kisame didn't need to know what he was concentrating on to know it was bad news for him and propelled through the water like a torpedo.

Naruto's eyes snapped open when Kisame's shoulder slammed into his gut and he was rocketed up the side of his ring of trees, before being driven into them with bone-jarring force. Kisame snarled, slammed Samehada into the wood hard enough that it would stick, and grabbed the blond's head, pushing his nose just millimeters from the spiny barbs of the zanbatou. Kisame's gravely voice seemed to echo as he breathed hard, the exertion beginning to take its toll as the poison wound its way through his veins.

"No more games, boy. I'm sick of this. You've caused me a lot of pain and that is unacceptable. Now, I'm going to cause you some. First, I'm going to use Samehada on your face like a cheese grater. Then, I'm going to cut each limb from your body one by one. I want you to feel what it's like to be pierced by little spikes. Too bad Samehada isn't poisonous."

"Are you quite through?"

Kisame's head jerked back slightly in surprise before he grinned ferally.

"Still trying to act like a big shot, huh? You ain't got shit now, kid. Want to know what I'm going to do with that oversized back-scratcher of yours? I'm going to use it to rearrange your bitch's face."

The blue eyes of Naruto seemed to become like ice as he turned his face as far to the side as he could to glare at his captor.

"Don't talk about her like that. I'll make this hurt more than it has to before you die."

A cackle echoed through the wooden prison and Kisame's teeth shone with maliciousness.

"Scratch that. I'm just going to rip your throat out. I _hate_ the sound of your voice."

Kisame opened his mouth as wide as he could and leaned down to complete his threat, when something tugged at his throat. He coughed a bit and grabbed at whatever was assailing him, his eyes flying open when he touched…something plantlike?

Another sharp tug and he was pulled away from the blond, who planted his feet and stood up. More and more aquatic weeds wrapped around Kisame until only his eyes and nose were visible. Naruto took a deep breath and closed his eyes.

"You know, you really are something, Kisame. You fought off a poison with no antidote, fought me at less than full strength, and proceeded to make a lake and fire off several high-powered jutsu. But…"

His eyes locked on to the giant blue man's and Kisame's beady eyes glared back.

"…I wonder, Kisame…how long can you hold your breath?"

Small white eyes flashed open and Kisame began to struggle against his bonds. Naruto motioned downwards with his hand and the weeds began to sink, pulling Kisame along with them. He glared at the blond as he sank, his whole body shaking with unbridled anger. If he could just call Samehada to his hand…but he was so weak. He'd been running on fumes for at least the past three minutes.

A Kirigakure ninja's greatest fear was drowning in their own element. Being masters of water, it was both dreaded and shameful to be taken under and drown…that was the reality that Kisame was now facing.

Naruto watched as Kisame sank below the surface, leaving hardly a ripple as the weeds held him firm as they took him down. He felt nothing from this like he had with Sasuke's death. He had fought Kisame and he had won. Kisame had to die; otherwise he'd just heal up and come after him again. He looked down into the crystal clear water and could make out the eyes of the shark man as they radiated hate, defiant to the last.

Kisame held his breath for nearly three minutes before trying to filter in oxygen through his gills. To his dismay, only a small amount of the much needed air siphoned into his lungs. Horror sat in when he realized that the mass of weeds was sucking out all of his precious oxygen out of the water to speed its growth. His mouth opened involuntarily as his lungs cried for air, and he sucked in some water. His chest began to feel heavy and he turned his gaze upward.

The clear brilliancy of the water allowed him to see the man who had defeated him…no…the man who had killed him. His brain began to feel foggy and he struggled to maintain that glare, that last defiant glare. He would not die like this. He wouldn't die by drowning! He was Hoshigaki Kisame, member of the Seven Swordsmen, member of the feared Akatsuki, wielder of Samehada and the most feared Suiton user in the world!

He wouldn't die like this…like this…like…

Kisame never felt the subtle constriction that the hydrilla was putting on him, forcing all the air out of his body and letting the water fill up his lungs. He never knew when he had begun to drown, so focused was he on his hate of Uzumaki Naruto. His vision just kept fading and fading until it all went black.

Naruto looked down into the lifeless eyes of one of the most feared men in the world for a moment longer and turned away, walking up the edge of the wall and crouched on the ledge. He'd leave this construct up for now, just in case…

Hunkered down on the ledge, he looked out over the area. There were several disturbances all around, but only one fight he could see. Two green blurs rushed around one of the bodies of Pein, trying in vain to smash it to smithereens. The blond smirked and watched for an opening. He had an idea of how to get rid of that particular Pein.

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Zetsu emerged from the ground right behind Sanzoku and licked his lips. He'd never eaten a red panda before, but he'd heard it was very gamey meat. With an omnivorous diet, it was sure to have a distinctive flavor. He'd heard what his foes had said about the genjutsu, and had already released himself from it as soon as he'd felt it tug at his psyche. Of course, dual personalities helped the process a bit.

A vicious smile raked across his white and black face and he suppressed the urge to lick his lips. The oversized rat had to die first. It was more dangerous than the other three combined. It was able to smell him and if those claws or those teeth got ahold of him, it would be _his_ body torn to shreds. With great care, the cannibalistic shinobi's jaw-like protrusions opened wide and he lunged forward…only to hit air.

Yellow eyes widened in anger and surprise as the sound of whistling blades reached his ears. The former Kusa ninja whirled about and found Kamatari hurtling through the air, several scythes following behind him, his own held firmly in his paws. The weasel was so close to the ground that his fur was getting dirty and Zetsu realized that he would not be quick enough to retreat into the ground as close as the summon was. Running to the side was also not available as the wind jutsu from Temari and the amount of steel headed in his direction forced him to go in one direction.

Up…

Zetsu knew it was a trap, he knew what they were up to. Kamatari passed beneath him, the whistling of his steel scythes fading as the distance, and the two-toned man's face twisted into ugliness as the weasel smirked. Out of the corner of his eyes, he saw that infuriating salamander puppet clinging to the wall suddenly leap toward him it's tail ready to stab and it's mouth open, needles at the ready.

A volley of needles flew toward him and Zetsu kawarimied with a piece of pipe, the ring of metal on metal resounding through the area. He hadn't had to use jutsu in so long that he was somewhat rusty and had nearly been skewered. No doubt those needles were coated in a poison quite like the one that Kisame had been stricken with. The psychotic ninja crouched behind a mass of concrete and looked out over the area for Temari.

The girl was almost as big an obstacle as the rat, coming up with strategies and barking orders. Kill her and they would become disorganized. Zetsu licked his lips in anticipation and rose a bit more to get a better look. A sharp pain in his leg caused him to nearly cry out and he glanced downward, sure that he had been careless and a jagges piece of metal or glass had scratched him. He'd nearly given himself away in surprise. His yellow eyes widened exponentially when he found a perfect u-shape on his right leg.

He'd forgotten about that damned size-altering rat for a moment. But when had it struck? He hadn't seen it near him, hadn't heard it, and hadn't sensed it. A sharp pain in the back of his head erupted as he rocketed back to the middle of their battlezone, flopping unceremoniously to the ground. He was immediately surrounded by all four of his enemies and the puppets. Zetsu stood to his full height; his skull still wracked with pain, and sneered at all of them.

"_We are through playing with you._ We shall strip the flesh from your bones. _But we'll make sure you're alive to watch as we do."_

Sanzoku's teeth were on full display as he snarled.

**Not if I strip yours first.**

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The air in Jiraiya's lungs rushed out as he hit the wall and Ma and Pa cried out in surprise. Despite being fused to his shoulders, it was still a jarring blow, and not a very pleasant one. The bored look on God Realm's face wasn't helping the three's disposition at all as it stood with its arms at its sides.

"Would a coward stand and face you as such, Sensei? Would a coward fight you as such?"

Jiraiya sucked in a huge lungul of air and used his good arm to push himself back to his feet. With Senjutsu chakra running through him, the blow hadn't actually hurt, it had just stunned him. A smirk crossed underneath his bulbous nose, the jagged teeth making him look even more fearsome an opponent.

"Nagato, you're a coward because you won't face me as a student to his teacher. Yahiko is dead. This is a perversion of time and life that I can't believe you would do. You were such a kind boy."

Ma and Pa hunkered down when they felt Jiraiya tense up, and set their jaws when he rushed forward again, his fist cocked back for a mighty blow. The body of Yahiko frowned and blasted its former sensei back again with a Shinra Tensei. Jiraiya slammed into the wall again and was immediately back to his feet, his eyes shadowed by his hair.

"I think that's enough research, don't you, Elders?"

Ma nodded her head and her round eyes blinked.

**Yep. More than enough. We know his weakness now.**

**Shhh, Ma! You'll give it away!**

God Realm tilted its head to the side, curious as to what they meant. He had been careful in all his fights thus far, especially with his primary body, not to give away any secrets. Jiraiya rushed forward again and Pein's eyebrow twitched in annoyance as the man slammed into the invisible barrier again. The barrier dropped as the large, white-maned man rocketed backwards and the count began til the next time he could use the jutsu. Without warning, pain exploded into the back of his skull and he found himself flying forward, straight into one of the large metal pipes.

Jiraiya landed deftly in a crouch, a smug look on his face, as Pein righted himself once more, a look of shock on his normally bored face.

"Five seconds, Nagato. That's your secret for this body. Without your shared vision, you can't predict anything behind you. You're vulnerable."

Pein stood to his full height and frowned. His cloak was muddied now and he'd been touched. That had never happened before.

"I see. I guess I'll have to increase my odds once again then, Sensei."

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Tsubasa, the Hachibi, Sakura, and Tsunade stared down at the broken remains of the summons and the Summon Realm Pein. It had been a difficult battle. The Cerberus had kept splitting into smaller dogs and reforming. The panda was impervious to pain. The rhino was thick-skinned. The centipede was just creepy.

The Hachibi's breathing was labored as it stood beside Tsubasa and it turned its head slowly.

**I'm through. I can't sustain this any longer. If the two of you can hasten Kira's healing, he will help in the coming battles. I risk destroying my host's body if I stay any longer.**

Tsubasa nodded and bowed his head.

**Thank you for your help. It was most appreciated.**

**Please. I haven't had a chance to cut loose like that in ages. I enjoyed myself immensely.**

The Hachibi began to shrink in size until it left a battered and smoking Hachi Kira. Sakura began to heal him immediately, being careful to only hasten his own natural abilities as Tsunade stood watch. Her senses, enhanced by chakra, adrenaline, and battle, caught the whistle of the air as it was displaced. She spun on her heel and threw her right fist forward, her eyes widening when it collided with Hell Realm, sending the body flying off to her left.

The body collapsed against a building, sending a shower of rubble down upon it, and sat unmoving. Tsunade kept her gaze trained on it, knowing that that couldn't have possibly been enough, when the sand around them began to shift and Gaara stepped into the clearing.

"I hate the moisture of this place. It makes fighting such a bother."

Sakura looked up from her work on Kira, relief on her face. Tsunade, however, was not as receptive.

"Damn it, Gaara! We're supposed to keep them separated!"

The red-headed Kazekage looked down at the prone body of the Summons Pein and shrugged.

"Yours is dead. What is the danger?"

Tsunade's eyes narrowed as she hissed at the younger Kage, listening as the rubble began to shift around.

"We don't know what these bodies do. They're dead in the first place! Two together could be trouble!"

Gaara simply stared at the Hell Realm as it stood once more, his eyes narrowing.

"I swear, it keeps getting back up. It's like there's something special about it, but I haven't figured out what it is yet."

Hell Realm stared out across the expanse between it and its opponents, its eyes finally settling on the prone body of Summons Realm.

"So…you actually defeated that Realm. Very good. No one ever has before, except for Sensei. It was all futile, however."

Tsunade's eyes widened when a huge head appeared behind Hell Realm and she screamed at Sakura.

"Sakura! Get out of there!"

The pink-haired girl's head whipped around just in time to see the huge Enma head and the tendril coming from it. Scooping Kira's body up, she leapt away, just as it grabbed for her. Gaara growled and sent his sand toward Hell Realm, only to have Tsunade stop him.

"We need to see what it's capable of. We need to know what that head does."

Gaara's perpetual frown deepened as his sand swirled around menacingly.

"I don't want to know what it does. It tried to grab Sakura-san, so it can't be good. Let's just destroy it."

The two watched the tendril as it crawled across the body of Summons Pein and brought it back into the mouth of the Enma head. The head chewed for a bit before spitting out Summons Realm, good as new. Tsunade gawked at the sight and Gaara's teeth ground together.

"See? I told you waiting was a bad idea!"

Hell Realm didn't seem to notice their discomfort as it looked over Summons Realm.

"That was impressive. I won't allow you to destroy my Summons again though."

The three active shinobi grimaced and prepared themselves for what was sure to be the worst fight of their lives. Pein seemed to have limitless energy, something that they did not possess. The two Peins readied themselves, sure of victory now that their shared vision would help them.

No one in the area thought to look up…

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Madara's teeth threatened to ground down to the gum in fury. Itachi stood before him, enshrouded in the protective armor of Susanoo, the giant form looming menacingly with its shield and mystical sword. This was one form he could never match. His Eternal Mangekyou allowed him to forever be youthful, full of vitality, and gave him free use of his Sharingan. It gave him many things…control over Amaterasu, Tsukiyomi…but Susanoo had always been beyond his reach.

Itachi stood in the middle of the spectral figure, gazing out over the expanse at his ancestor. He hated this man with all his heart. Madara was the focal point, the sole reason for the decline of the Uchiha clan. Everything that had ever happened could be traced back to his betrayal of family and country. Only one thought crossed the younger Uchiha's mind.

'_Unforgivable…'_

The ghostly warrior that was Susanoo raised its sword above its head and sent it crashing down toward Madara. The elder shinobi rushed away as the weapon crashed down, only to pass through the ground, leaving no trace of damage. The sword rose again and settled on the long nosed being's shoulder. Madara regained his bearings, his mind racing for some grasp of what he had seen.

That the sword was merely an illusion was not feasible. If it was incorporeal, then it had another purpose besides physical damage. Itachi was never one to flaunt his abilities and therefore, he knew nothing beyond the few battles the boy had had since he had taken him under his wing. This…thing…that had taken form around him was something he was totally unprepared for.

Another swing of the sword, another dodge, and Madara unloaded a huge fire jutsu at the being. The ghostly shield came up before Itachi and the elder statesman of Akatsuki watched in awe as the fire impacted with the shield, stopping it completely. Itachi stared out at him from within, his Sharingan-clad eyes unblinking and filled with hate. The flames died down and the shimmering form of Susanoo grinned, ready for the next assault.

Madara was livid. Nothing he could do would work apparently. Well, it was not the first time he'd had a setback. Being eternal was as much a boon as it was a curse. He could afford to retreat and plan again. Akatsuki was one of his better ideas, but it was not his only one. The eternal man readied himself for a leap out of the hole behind Itachi.

"You won't make it."

Madara froze in his tracks, his knees already locked for the jump, and spared a glance at Itachi.

"And why is that? I've come too far to allow an upstart like you to stop me."

Itachi merely blinked, his lips hardly moving as he spoke.

"You won't make it because I already have you. You're within the barrier of Susanoo. Nothing gets in, nothing gets out."

Madara slowly stood to his full height and snorted.

"I think I would know if I was captured, young one. I've avoided all the swings of that sword and your armor still enshrouds you, not me."

"You're wrong."

Madara's eyebrows rose to his hairline as the shimmering form of Susanoo began to form around him. His breathing became erratic as he ground out his question.

"How?"

Itachi merely looked up through the destroyed roof as the rain began to fall again.

"Susanoo is not merely half a body, it is a whole one. Its size simply encompasses whatever it wishes. The breastplate of the armor is the strongest point, so it simply enshrouds its user in its chest. The rest is below ground. Incorporealism is one of the features that best identify it. Now, you're trapped in here with me. There is no escape."

Madara's brain raced furiously in a bid to find a way out. Susanoo, however, was an impenetrable barrier. Not even Pein's Shinra Tensei could match it. Seeing physicality was not an available option anymore, he decided to try diplomacy.

"What now then, Itachi? We're both trapped until you release the jutsu. What do you hope to accomplish?"

For the first time in years, Uchiha Itachi smiled. Such a sight was enough to make even the normally unflappable Madara quiver.

"I plan to end the legacy of the Uchiha clan. Today, our clan dies with us."

Madara could only wonder what the boy meant. Did he mean to kill himself as well in some misguided form of seppuku? But Susanoo protected all in its shell…what could he do to himself? The spectral form of Susanoo raised its arm above its head and flipped the sword to a reverse grip, the blade now held to stab downward. The sudden realization of what Itachi was planning brought only one word to Madara's mind…

"…no…"

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The Raikage growled as he let the last pieces of paper flutter through his fingers before turning to his followers.

"It was merely a bunshin. The bitch is still out there. Come on. We have to find Kira. I don't sense the Hachibi anymore."

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Hell Realm and Summons Realm prepared themselves for battle, Hell Realm taking a step back and Summons Realm taking a step forward, ready to summon more creatures. Tsunade heard the groan of Kira as he awoke, but feared it wouldn't be enough. With their field of vision now multiplied by two, these Peins would be nigh impossible to beat.

The figure sitting above leapt from its perch, hurtling down towards the people below it. Its size began to grow and grow as it fell…

Before Summons Pein could slap its hand to the ground, a resounding boom echoed throughout the area and the four allied shinobi covered their eyes against the assault of mud and water. Gaara was the first to lower his arms and relief flowed through him. Sitting on top of both of the Peins was Tsubasa, his teeth bared menacingly.

The four ninja watched as the Raccoon King reached down with his dexterous fingers and picked up the prone body of Hell Realm, lifting it to where he could see it.

**Hmm…it seems that this Pein is very important. Well, it's been a while since I've had a snack.**

Sakura and Tsunade looked away from the scene as Tsubasa bit into the body of Hell Realm, severing the shoulders and head away from the rest. Whatever chance it had of reforming itself was gone. As the women turned green, Kira and Gaara watched as Tsubasa swirled the meat around in his mouth before grimacing and spitting it onto the ground.

**Bleeehh! It tastes awful, like rotten meat!**

The two men laughed at the King's misfortune as it ran its hands over its tongue, trying to get the awful taste out of its mouth. Humor could be found, even in the midst of battle.

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Kakashi still had not found his opening with Asura Realm and it was beginning to frustrate him. A trained assassin he may be, but he'd never met an opponent as frustrating as this one. Gai and Lee were having trouble as well. Despite their speed, they couldn't land a truly damaging blow on the mechanical man.

To make matters worse, that wooden citadel behind them worried him. He didn't know what was going on in there but it couldn't be good. The water was escaping more frequently now. If only they could find a way to neutralize this body…

His senses suddenly picked up an incoming energy source and Kakashi looked up in time, just to catch the sight of Naruto hurtling out of the sky and crushing the mechanical Pein below him. Metal and flesh flew everywhere as the Pein exploded and Naruto stood upright, a grin on his face.

"You guys looked like you needed some help."

Kakashi sighed and closed his eyes as he lowered his hitai-ate, partly in relief that Naruto was alright, partly in frustration that his former student had again entered a battle without full knowledge of what was going on.

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Konan gasped when the memories of her bunshin reached her. The Raikage and his swordsmen were fearsome opponents and her bunshin had not been a challenge at all. A slight, low growl behind her made her attention turn to her companion.

"Your bunshin is gone, yes?"

She nodded her head in affirmation. Nagato frowned and his fingers gripped the armrests of his chair with more force.

"This…Uzumaki…and his pet raccoon are most…troublesome. They are alike in their battle planning to a degree that is uncanny."

"What happened?"

Rinnegan eyes locked with Konan's and Nagato's teeth bared.

"They destroyed Hell Realm, Asura Realm, and Summons Realm. Crushed them in similar manners even though they were nowhere near each other. It is most…annoying."

Konan turned back to the window, gazing out.

"I don't see the Hachibi anymore. What will you do now?"

"I will kill Sensei and everyone else I can. Then, we shall see."

"Can you bring another Hell Realm to the frontline?"

His eyes closed, in frustration or pain she couldn't tell.

"I have never found another suitable body for Hell Realm. It seems that my last three Paths will have to do."

"Can you defeat Sensei and the others?"

"We shall see. It is foolish of them to challenge a god on his own turf. Amegakure is _my_ realm. It is _my_ heaven and _my_ hell. I rule all here. I control all here. And I will bring down _my_ wrath upon them."

Konan's forehead touched the cold glass and she closed her eyes as she whispered.

"…what if your wrath isn't enough?"

Nagato sank back into his chair, his eyes narrowing.

"We shall see..."

**Ta Da! I once again apologize for the delay, but I hope it was worth it! More to come! And don't forget to vote for me! Cheers!**


	28. A New World

And here's Chapter 28. Hope you enjoy it. Readers, Reviewers, Thank You...**Free Bird**_ by Lynyrd Skynyrd_

**CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT**

"Incoming!"

Jiraiya barely dodged to the side as the Raikage plowed into God Realm Pein, slamming the walking corpse across the muddy ground, and landing heavily, his followers behind him. The Raikage grinned as he came out of his crouch, moving in front of the panting Jiraiya.

"Looks like you need some help, Old Man. Don't worry, the Swordsmen of Kumo and the World's Strongest Man are here to save the day."

Jiraiya's beady eyes stared up wearily at the Kage, not really knowing how to respond. He needed a breather, that was true enough. Perhaps this was fortuitous. If they could keep Pein occupied for a little bit until Ma and Pa could gather more Natural energy...

"He puts up a barrier to repel attacks. After that, you have a five second window where he can't use his jutsu anymore. Keep him occupied until I come up with a plan."

The giant black man snorted and squared himself off against the now recovered Pein, the swordsmen unhooking their weapons and readying themselves.

"Five seconds is all we need. Catch your breath, Jiraiya of the Sannin. We'll handle it from here."

Pein let out a long, slow breath as his gray, ringed eyes took in the ninja of Kumogakure.

"You don't interest me. Go away."

Samui took a step forward, her sword held at her side.

"You interest me. I want to know how a dead man can walk. Maybe if I slice you up enough I'll find out how you do it."

The gray eyes narrowed and Pein's cloak fluttered slightly.

"Yahiko will not be destroyed."

Omoi quirked his left eyebrow upward and rolled his cigarette around his mouth.

"Who the fuck is Yahiko? I thought your name was Pein?"

"It doesn't matter! Let's go!"

The three swordsmen followed their leader into battle, the stony faced Pein awaiting them.

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Human Realm had not been having nearly as hard a time as the other Peins. His opponents, while skilled, were nowhere near powerful enough to hinder him in any way. Team Ten had been little more than a nuisance, with Shikamaru's planning and shadow manipulation being the main factors of annoyance.

Chouji had tried his best to keep the body occupied while Shikamaru came up with a plan, but the taijutsu-using Pein swept him aside like a child. Growing to the size of the summons had only made him a bigger target for the long-maned corpse. Pein's fist had found its way into his oversized, rotund belly. The gentle giant's girth reduced rapidly and a hard knee found its way to his chin.

Ino had tried to use a chakra scalpel to cut the body's tendons, but she was nowhere near quick enough. Just before the auburn-haired cadaver ruined her pretty face with a punch, it froze in place and she heard the five words that made her muscles relax.

"Kage Mane no Jutsu, success."

Shikamaru let his hands pull apart, his body shuddering with exertion as the clinically dead body fought his control. His breathing was ragged as he forced his arms to his sides.

"Ino, disable him. Do it now!"

The blonde pulled a kunai from her pouch and took a hesitant step forward, before looking back over her shoulder.

"But Shika...you'll get hurt too."

Shikamaru grunted as his right arm began to move on its own, a sure sign that his control was slipping.

"Just do it! You can heal me afterwards! We still don't know how Chouji's doing!"

Ino didn't bother to nod as she turned her attention back to the shaking Pein. The kunai in her hand raised into the air and lingered but for a moment before she plunged it downward into the chest of the pierced man. Shikamaru gasped in pain and his grip on Pein nearly slipped. He had to endure this. If Ino could strike a debilitating blow on Pein, then she could hurry and heal him before he bled out.

It pained Ino to do this to Shikamaru. His gasps coming from behind her were like a knife through her own heart. She needed to finish this quickly. She had to help her boys. Shutting her ears off to the sound of Shikamaru's groans and whimpers of pain, she thrust the kunai down again, only for her hand to stop. She looked up into the Rinnegan eyes of Pein, his gaze cutting through her.

"That's enough."

Ino began to shake as his grip began to crush her wrist, only to cry out when she felt the bones begin to pop. Pein cast her aside haphazardly and glared at Shikamaru, who held a hand to his chest, his breathing labored.

"I'll deal with you shortly, girl."

Shikamaru had never felt this weak. Not when fighting Tayuya all those years ago, not when he was in his second Chuunin Exams, not even when he fought against Kakuzu and Hidan. His team was decimated once again and now this...abomination...was going to kill him...kill them all.

And thanks to his own willingness to sacrifice himself like a shogi piece, he was unable to protect himself.

Pein's unblinking eyes rolled down to the kneeling Nara, taking him in.

"I've heard that the Nara clan prides themselves on being incredibly smart. You all play shogi. You know about the sacrifice of pawns to save the king. That's what made your little play here so...strange. You're obviously the king. Why did you try to sacrifice yourself?"

Shikamaru merely rolled an eye upward and grunted.

"...troublesome..."

"Yes...yes, you are..."

Pein's hand shot forward to grasp the Nara's forehead and the young man closed his eyes, accepting his fate. Rinnegan eyes turned to the side, catching a flash of blonde, and Pein blasted Shikamaru with a roundhouse kick as he grabbed an attacking Ino by her head.

Ino felt the fingers on her forehead and suddenly she could feel something probing deeper inside. A slight tug on something that was uniquely hers. Light flashed and she shivered. Her father had described the feeling of mind walking to her in detail. Whatever this was, it was similar and yet so very different. A chill ran up her spine as her eyes locked with those of the Rinnegan. Another tug and she fought back. Whatever he was reaching for deep inside her wasn't his to have.

She used every bit of her will to push his presence out...

And then she screamed.

Pein let go of the blonde girl with a gasp, her body crumpling to the ground unceremoniously. A tingle ran up his arm that left him baffled. No one had ever fought off his soul-stealing technique before. Intriguing. He left a battered and broken Team Ten in his wake as he stalked off towards where Hungry Ghost Realm was fighting a pair of Hyuuga. When this was all over, he might have to come back for the girl.

Hell Realm might have a new body...

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Itachi watched as the spectral sword of Susanoo came hurtling down and gasped when it entered his body, piercing his soul. He heard the cry from Madara as it entered the man as well and closed his eyes, giving himself up to his own illusion. Perhaps an eternity of lies would be kind to him. His world flashed for a moment and then all was silent.

"_Hello, son. We've been waiting for you."_

_Itachi took in his surroundings with wide eyes, not believing what he was seeing. He was seated before his family's dinner table. His father sat opposite him, quietly sipping his tea, while his mother chopped carrots for a stew. _

"_Mother? Father?"_

_Fugaku sat his tea cup down and stared curiously at his son._

"_Yes, Itachi?"_

_The younger Uchiha touched the table in front of him gingerly, as if it would fall apart. Fugaku quirked an eyebrow and frowned._

"_What troubles you, son?"_

_Itachi looked up from the table, hope in his eyes._

"_Is this...real? Are you here?"_

_A clunk in front of him brought his attention to a bowl full of steaming stew. A soft hand settled on his shoulder and he gazed up, taking in his mother's smile._

"_Of course we are, Itachi. Eat your stew before it gets cold."_

_Itachi's head nodded absentmindedly as his hand groped for the spoon. Gingerly he dipped the utensil into the stew and brought it to his mouth. A few quick blows and the spoon was brought to his mouth, where he slurped it, savoring the flavor. Fugaku and Mikoto watched confused as tears ran down their eldest son's cheeks. Itachi turned to them, a smile on his face._

"_It's so good. It's just like I remembered...so good..."_

"_Brother, why are you crying?"_

_Itachi froze in his place, another spoonful of stew halfway to his mouth. His lips quivered as he turned slowly to find a young Sasuke standing behind him, his big round eyes curiously appraising his brother. Itachi sucked in a lungful of air and shook._

"_Sasuke?"_

_Itachi pushed himself off of his comfy pillow and crept forward on his hands and knees toward what he was sure was a ghost. His hand rose shakily and he poked a surprised Sasuke in the forehead. His breath caught in his throat when the child cried out in protest and he crushed the little boy against his chest._

"_It's real. It's really real. You're all alive. We're together again."_

_Mikoto smiled at her eldest son's antics and put her hand on Itachi's head._

"_You're going to be late, Itachi. She's on her way over. You'd better go get ready."_

_Itachi's head whipped around to face her._

"_Who's coming?"_

_His mother's smile widened as she turned back to her cooking. A knock from the front door echoed throughout the house and Sasuke ran out of the room, shouting that he would answer it._

"_As if you didn't know. Ah, there she is."_

_Itachi turned slowly to the doorway where he heard footsteps and his heart nearly stopped when he gazed up into his lover's face. Her gentle smile warmed his heart and he suddenly didn't care if this was real or not. He stood and crossed the room and, taking her in his arms, kissed her deeply. He wanted nothing more than the family and woman that he loved. _

_This beautiful lie was better than the ugly truth._

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Madara watched, furious, as Itachi gave into the genjutsu with a blissful smile, his arms open as if accepting something or someone. He would not be taken by this illusion. He would not succumb to this farce. Closing his eyes, so as to better concentrate on fighting off this intrusion on his mind, he focused on breathing, knowing that his own body was real.

"_Brother?"_

_Madara's eyes wanted to snap open so badly. But he knew if they opened, he would succumb to this hateful illusion. The timbre of the voice was just as he remembered. If he opened his eyes and saw the visage of his brother, then he would not be able to come back. He knew that._

"_It's not really you, Izuna. I know that. It's just an illusion that is torturing me. Illusions aren't real and my Sharingan knows that. I know that."_

_A tinkling laugh came from behind him and his heart fluttered. Oh, but this delusion was cruel. Now it had begun to imitate...her._

"_Husband, why won't you look at me?"_

_Madara took in a shuddering, angry breath, his teeth grinding against each other._

"_You're not her. My wife has been dead for decades."_

"_Of course it's me, husband. Here, I'll even prove it."_

_Sharingan eyes snapped open when a pair of soft arms wrapped around him from behind and a familiar weight pressed into his back. The arms squeezed him in a way that he would never forget as an almost forgotten voice breathed into his ear._

"_We're here, husband. And we'll never go away. Ever again."_

_Madara heard her words, but his eyes remained locked onto his brother's face. Izuna smiled at his brother and nodded his head._

"_Yes, brother, we're real. Now stop being foolish and hold your wife. She's missed you."_

_Madara sucked in a lungful of air and spun around, his arms encircling his wife's waist as he crushed his lips to hers. This was his test if this was real. Her taste, the feel of her rose petal soft lips, her smell...it was all uniquely hers. This had to be real._

_Why, then, did it feel so wrong? Why did it feel like it wasn't there?_

_His wife happily returned the kiss, melding her body against his as Izuna laughed joyously._

"_See, brother? It's as real as real can be. Our Sharingan can't be fooled by illusions."_

_Madara nodded his head as he cradled his wife against him. Yes, he had been foolish. But he still felt like a fool. Izuna laughed some more as he clapped his brother on the shoulder._

"_Why, the only way to fool the Sharingan is with another Sharingan. And if you've been fooled, then there's no way to check it. You'd need to check it with another Sharingan."_

_Madara nodded his head, happy with that explanation until something clicked. He was ecstatic to see his family again, but something nagged at his mind. His family wasn't under a genjutsu. Their own Sharingan would have caught caught it. Perhaps it was only him? There were no other Sharingan in existence and he wouldn't take his family's eyes._

_No, there was another...an eye that possessed an ability unknown even to him._

_Hatake Kakashi._

_The background of the scene darkened as Madara pushed his wife away. Tears poured down her face as Izuna caught her._

"_Husband, why do you push me away? Surely you're not leaving again?"_

Madara shook his head, his brain now fuzzy as his psyche fought against the power of Susanoo. Things began to fade in and out as reality and genjutsu pushed against one another, one overlapping the other, confusing him even more. He had to be sure. His wife hung off his right side, pleading with him to stop as his brother tried to reason with him.

As reality and illusory perception began to blend into a cocktail of confustication, Madara's muddled mind kept grasping onto one thing. One of these had to be real, either his family or the muck and rubble before him...and only one man could help him now.

Hatake Kakashi and that single Sharingan eye...

_XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX_

TenTen and Shino leapt back to safety, each cradling a drained Hyuuga in their arms. Neji and Hinata had put up quite a fight with Hungry Ghost Realm, but their Jyuuken relied on chakra to be effective and the fat man just absorbed their blows like a sponge. Before long, the two had been drained of most of their chakra, leaving them weak and helpless.

Kiba and Akamaru engaged the rotund warrior next, giving the Weapons Mistress and the Kikai Master time to get the two Hyuuga to safety. After checking their vitals, the two returned to back up the feral fighter of the group.

Shino was worried. This body, no, this corpse, as his bugs had informed him, was making a mockery of everything they did. It stood there, with it's ever-present scowl and gray, ringed eyes, not saying a word. It reminded him so much of the attitudes of many of his own family. For but a moment, he wondered if this was how the enemies of the Aburame saw them. But...even an Aburame tried to stir the emotions of their enemies in battle. This thing wouldn't even do that...and it infuriated him.

Any bugs he sent to attack Pein simply fell to the ground as soon as they touched the time-stilled flesh. And Hinata and Neji had proven that hand to hand combat was not the answer. Even now, he could see Kiba and Akamaru slowing down, though they were fighting valiantly. Nothing seemed to touch him.

His eyes shifted when he saw TenTen preparing herself out of the corner of his eyes. She would have to take point against this foe. A kikai floated to Akamaru's shoulder and warned him of what was to come. A bark signaled Kiba and the two began to turn the Pein so it couldn't see what was happening. The duo began to lead the Pein away from TenTen and into position.

TenTen waited until she was sure the peripheral vision of Pein was no longer focused on her and unleashed a barrage of kunai at his back. The Konoha ninja all watched in shock as he evaded every weapon thrown without ever looking.

In the shadows, Human Realm sat crouched, waiting for opportunity to knock. Hungry Ghost Realm had decimated this team. Of course, not many could stand against the chakra absorbing ghoul. He could see the Aburame watching with hard eyes as the girl continued to chuck every last weapon she had at the fat body, only for every one to miss. He let his chakra disruptor rods fly just as the kikai master came to his realiztion

"There's another one!"

His warning was not fast enough, however, as a rod found its way into his back and the sides of Akamaru and Kiba, shocking them into submission as their chakra began to move about of its own volition. TenTen spun when she heard the shout and batted the rod aside, only to see Shino get taken out by a rod as well. The Aburame fell like a sack of bricks and his bugs swarmed out around him, agitated by the disruption of their host's chakra.

Human Realm stepped out of the shadows and strode purposefully towards TenTen, who moved to the side and stood before Hinata and Neji, her sword at the ready. The pony-tailed body cocked its head to the side, as if perplexed.

"Why do you stand there as if you can harm me? Do you not know I'm a god? I can end your existence in a heartbeat."

TenTen gripped her sword tighter and narrowed her eyes as she watched the fat Pein step beside the other.

"You're not my god. And you never will be."

She barely got her sword up to block the rod that Human Realm thrust at her, only to gasp as Hungry Ghost Realm slid one into her side. She stumbled backwards and fell on the ground, helpless as she watched the two stalk toward Neji and Hinata and slam more of the rods into their bodies. Hot tears ran down her face as she watched the blood seep from the wounds. She was confused though, as to why he didn't kill any of them. Pein saw the look of confusion on her face and stared down at her before nailing her hands to the stone behind her with another rod.

"I'm leaving you alive as a bargaining chip. I haven't killed anyone yet of your generation. I need you alive for the time being so that the Kyuubi jinchuuriki will know that I am God. I hold your lives in my hands. With but a whim, I can kill you all at once. Such is the power and wrath of god."

TenTen could only look on at the destruction the man had caused, her entire team, all her friends, powerless.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Zetsu melted out of the ground away from the battleground he'd just escaped. He was a high-rank ninja, but even he knew when it was time to retreat. The Suna ninja were bad enough, but the two summons made moving about incredibly difficult. It was almost like they knew where he would pop up.

His body was littered with cuts from all of the various jutsu used and he wasn't sure, but he thought he'd been nicked by one of the boy's poisonous needles. His body was resilient, but nowhere near the level that Kisame's was. Vaguely, he wondered if his comrade was still bedridden or had decided to join the festivities.

He couldn't remember being this tired after a fight in a long time. Not that he'd had many fights in recent years. Perhaps that was why his senses were dulled slightly. Perhaps that's why those children had gotten so many hits in on him. Well, he'd show them. If Pein left any of them alive, he was going to personally kill them himself. He'd rip their limbs off one by one and eat them while they watched, saving the juicy intestines for last.

Perhaps the years of inactivity as a shinobi had dulled his senses somewhat. But he was still the best infiltrator and spy around. That's why it was so astounding to him when his trained ears didn't hear the familiar whistling nor his trained senses feel it when his left arm suddenly fell from its socket.

He looked down in surprise as his blood flowed freely from where his arm had been. He was surprised that the pain had not registered yet. That's when he felt the breath down his neck and froze.

**I told you that I'd rend your flesh from your bones. Nothing in this world can save you once I have your scent. I'll follow you anywhere you go...and as injured as you are, you can't go far.**

Sanzoku's teeth shone as he grinned and began to grow larger and larger. Zetsu's yellow eyes widened in shock. Nothing he had ever seen had prepared him for a summons like the raccoon.

**Scream for me, bitch.**

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Off in the distance, Temari and Kankurou heard the screams and yowls of both Zetsu and Sanzoku. The siblings shared a look and then took off for where they sensed the most chakra, leaving behind the horrid squeals of a dying cannibal and the broken remains of Kankurou's Blank Ant.

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Jiraiya watched intently as the Kumo shinobi once again rushed Pein in a wave and were again repelled. The Raikage rushed in for the five second interval only to find himself in a game of cat and mouse as God Realm backpedaled away until the round was up. Ma and Pa gathered the necessary energy for what was to follow and opened their eyes again.

**We're ready when you are, Jiraiya-chan.**

"Good. Prepare yourselves. I don't know if this will work or not."

**Don't tell me what to do, little boy!**

**Ma...not now.**

The three watched as Pein repelled and the two tiny toads immediately began to croak, singing their song. Pein heard the song and narrowed his eyes. He'd need to end this quickly. Jiraiya was too dangerous to allow the sage to live any longer. He carefully counted out the five seconds and just as the illusion was beginning to take hold, he cast his hand forward and pulled Jiraiya in.

Jiraiya's eyes snapped open when he felt the tug on his body and the song stopped immediately as the trio flew toward Pein's outstretched hand. Jiraiya's eyes widened in realization of what was about to happen. He watched as Pein's hand stiffened so that his fingers were pointed forward. Jiraiya was about to be impaled through the stomach.

Jiraiya hit the arm at high velocity, his innards rushing out his back as Pein's hand displaced them. Blood rushed from his mouth as the Kumo shinobi looked on in horror. Jiraiya's eyes glazed for a moment before the life shot back into them as he used his last strength to grip onto Pein's arm.

"Let's see you dodge while carrying all this weight, Nagato. I'll see you in Hell."

The two toads on his shoulder jumped free as his chakra faded, shouting out for him just as Tsunade entered the area with her group in tow. Her scream echoed across the expanse and Jiraiya smiled as he coughed up more blood, his voice coming out in a whisper.

"Heh, tears for me, Tsunade? And here...I didn't think...you cared..."

Tsunade collapsed on her knees, unblinking as she stared at the sight of Jiraiya's now lifeless body hanging from Pein's arm. She couldn't believe it, another of her friends, her loved ones...gone...All because of some egomaniac with a god complex. Rage boiled within her and she rose to her feet, until someone clapped a hand on her shoulder. She looked up into the sad, blue eyes of Naruto.

"No, Baa-chan. No."

Her rage immediately subsided and tears began to take over instead. The sadness and anger in Naruto's eyes seemed to wash over everyone present. Pein simply stood there, unimpressed as Human Realm and Hungry Ghost Realm landed beside God Realm and pulled Jiraiya off forcefully from the arm with a wet, sucking sound before casting the body to the middle of the open space. Jiraiya's body hit the ground hard and rolled a couple of times till it came to a stop, his face still smiling.

Tsunade's tears redoubled and Sakura put an arm around her to support her as Naruto strode to his sensei's body. By now, every one of the invaders had gathered to help, but stood at the edge, not willing to interrupt. Silence roared in Amegakure as Naruto kneeled beside Jiraiya.

"You didn't deserve to die like this...killed by a former pupil."

"He died by my will. That was enough."

Naruto didn't bother to look up. Pein wasn't his concern at the moment. He picked up Jiraiya's body and brought it back to Tsunade, setting it down beside her.

"Just so you know, jinchuuriki, I am god here. I will bring peace to this land through my forced rule. There will be no war under my rule. It will be utopia. And those who stand in the way of my justice, my will, become dust."

Naruto tried to ignore the obvious bait, but it was becoming harder. In the back of his mind, a presence stirred that he had long since thought was forever silenced.

"I have your friends, jinchuuriki. A simple pulse of my chakra and they all die of heart failure."

"No, they won't. I've already had my clones looking for them before we arrived. The rods are being removed as we speak and they're being taken to safety."

A slight quirk of the lips was all that showed Pein's annoyance.

"Then I suppose more drastic measures are to be taken."

God Realm's hand raised and Karui was pulled into his grasp, dangling above the ground by her neck. Kira, despite his weakness, yelled out to her and Pein turned in his direction.

"Give yourself to me or she dies. If you come voluntarily, I'll let the Kumo ninja go peacefully."

Karui glared over his hand and spat into his stoic face.

"F...fuck...you..."

_SNAP!_

Pein let her body tumble to the ground and wiped away the spittle.

"Too slow. Perhaps one from Konoha this time?"

Kira and the Raikage were mortified. Was the man that untouchable? Pein raised his hand again and Kakashi's eyes widened when he felt the pull on him. His hands flashed through handsigns as he was tugged along and his Raikiri was ready by the time he reached Pein.

God Realm watched impassively as Hungry Ghost Realm stepped before him and absorbed the blow, sucking all of the chakra with it. Kakashi gasped at the pull on his chakra and Human Realm caught him by the forehead.

"Come to me or Hatake Kakashi dies."

"NO!"

Pein turned his head to find Madara behind him, without his mask, and his eyes looking dazed.

"No, not yet. Give him to me. Yes, brother, I know that. But I have to be sure. No, I can't simply do that."

"Madara, are you alright?"

"Tobi's not sure if Madara's alright. Give us Kakashi. His eye will tell Tobi if we're alright."

Human Realm handed Kakashi over and Madara grabbed him by both arms and slammed him to the ground.

"Yes, wife. I'll be very careful. Pein, hold him. I can't have him moving while brother is trying to distract me."

The fat Pein held Kakahsi down while Madara knelt beside the man. All the shinobi watched as Madara plucked his left eye out without a cry of pain.

"No, brother, it's not the same as when I did it to you. See? I still have my wonderful eye. This is just to see if this is an illusion."

Kakashi could only watch in horror as the fingers descended towards his Sharingan. Madara had almost reached his socket when a huge vine erupted from the ground, smashed the Uchiha in the chest and sent him flying. The Pein holding Kakashi barely avoided the swipe and leapt back to safety, leaving the vine to hover protectively over Kakashi.

Naruto's green aura had returned and his voice was ragged as he raised his staff.

"No. You can't have his eye."

"BUT TOBI NEEDS THAT EYE! MADARA MUST KNOW WHAT'S REAL!"

The black fire of Amaterasu roared from where Madara had been thrown and latched upon the vine, burning it to a crisp. Madara was upon Kakashi in a heartbeat, straddling him, and thrust his fingers into the Copy Ninja's socket, pulling out the bloody Sharingan. Kakashi cried out in agony, but could do nothing as Madara stared down at him.

"Yes, brother, I agree. This man did steal our precious eye. And you know what they say, 'an eye for an eye'."

Blood hit Kakashi's mask as he gurgled, a kunai sticking out of his chest. Madara giggled as he stood up and put the eye in his own socket, hissing as it took hold. He blinked and then began to moan.

"No, no, no, no, no no no no! I can still see both! It's not fair! Why can't I tell if you're real? I want to know which is real!"

For Naruto, time stopped in that moment. His hearbeat slowed, his motor functions shut down, and the green aura pulsed wildly.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

_The blond jinchuuriki opened his eyes to a familiar sight and a frightening one. The cage of the Kyuubi was opened and the beast sat on its haunches in the light, its mouth open in what he was sure was a grin. Beside the massive beast stood a face he would never forget. It was the old man that had entrusted him with the power of the green. Ancient eyes gazed upon him and a small smile lifted a white beard._

"_Well, it seems its time."_

_Naruto shook his head, unsure of what the old man meant._

"_Time? For what?"_

"_To make your choice. The prophecy concerning you is nigh. Here, you will either bring the world to a new level of happiness and prosperity...or destroy it."_

_The old man silenced the growling of the Kyuubi with a single hand and continued._

"_Make no mistake, boy, this is monumental. You were never supposed to have a say in the matter. You were never supposed to go to Suna. You were never supposed to attain my power. You were never supposed to meet the raccoons. This situation should never have been and because of that, you get a choice in what happens next."_

"_But...but why?"_

_Wizened eyebrows lifted and eyes turned into a happy U-shape._

"_Because, Uzumaki Naruto, you fought fate and destiny...and won. You made your own path...but you still have to choose. My power...or the Kyuubi no Yokou's."_

_**Choose my power, boy. I'll lay waste to your enemies, I'll slay them for you. I'll destroy everyone who has ever hurt you. All for you. You won't hurt anymore. There will be no more pain.**_

_Naruto listened to the honeyed words that poured off the beast's tongue and nodded before turning to the old man._

"_What's your argument?"_

_A single eye opened and a dry chuckle rang throughout the room._

"_You're going to die."_

"_What?"_

"_You're going to die, one way or the other. You can either be a savior or you can be a demon. One or the other. But I can give you something that the Kyuubi can't before you go."_

"_What's that?"_

"_I'll let you say goodbye to Temari before you die."_

_Naruto turned from the Kyuubi, eliciting a snarl, and was about to comply when the old man raised his hand._

"_Make no mistake, Uzumaki. This is a mere courtesy. You will not have long. And there is a price for accepting my power. You will become the embodiment of the green, just as_ _you would become the embodiment of the Kyuubi. I will finally pass on, just as you will one day pass on that power to another worthy person. But it will be millenia before your mantle can be passed. Do you accept?"_

_Naruto thought for a moment before nodding._

"_Yes. So long as I can say goodbye."_

_A long slow sigh escaped the old man's lips and he turned to the beast._

"_Back to your cage, fox. Our time in this plane is ended."_

_The Kyuubi ranted and snarled as the door slammed shut against it, throwing it back into the depths of the cage. Naruto watched as he began to fade out, a green aura encompassing him again._

"_I'll let you see here right before you pass on. No sooner, no later. Good fortune, Uzumaki Naruto. And goodbye."_

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The ninja all watched as Naruto began to glow with an unearthly power. His voice rang of a deep timbre as the green tendrils began to slide off of him.

"**Leave this place. Go to safety. You have little time."**

Temari took a step forward and Naruto cringed.

"**Don't. Don't do that. Just go."**

He turned to look at her over his shoulder and gave her a small, sad smile.

"**Make sure everyone gets to safety. Get out of Amegakure. I'll see you soon, Temari."**

Tsubasa leaned down low enough that his head almost touched the ground.

**Naruto, are you...**

"**Yes. And I will complete my end of the bargain. All I ask is that you take everyone out of here. It will no longer be safe. Goodbye, Tsubasa. It was an honor to serve you."**

Tsubasa nodded his head and summoned several members of his clan to assist in getting the ninja out. As all the living were transported, many under protest, he turned to the now glowing Naruto.

**You're the last, you know. There will never be another summoner for us.**

"**All I ask is that you take care of her. Take care of them all in the world I create."**

**Hai. I can do that. Farewell, Uzumaki Naruto. May the heavens guide you to a restful slumber.**

Tsubasa galloped off after the others, leaving Pein and Madara facing Naruto, whose eyes were now totally green. Madara tilted his head to the side and blinked, his eye still bleeding.

"Why are you glowing? I can see it through both of my eyes."

"**That's inconsequential. Tell me, Nagato, was it worth it?"**

Pein nodded his head.

"To create a new world, the old one has to die. This is the truth."

Naruto titled his head back as the power coursed through him. His life on earth would end when things had run their course, but his responsibility would be eternal.

"**Nature, Nagato. New life is built on the death of the old, but the old is not simply destroyed. It's used to help create the new. That's what I'll be doing. Instead of razing it to the ground as you would, I will simply build upon the old world."**

"I would give them a utopia, free of war and strife, with a new god. What can you offer them?"

"**Eden. And the choice of how to best use it. Our sensei's teachings will be the model for the new world. 'Help others, treat people with kindness...' These are things he taught us. You warped them, I embraced them. The weak don't live to serve the strong, the strong live to serve the weak."**

"The words of a mortal fool."

Naruto's green eyes became slits as the power built to its crescendo inside him.

"**They were the words of the God of Shinobi, the teacher of our teacher."**

Without warning, the power exploded inside of Naruto and his head and arms snapped back as a wave of green washed over everything. Wherever it touched, new life sprang forth from mud and rubble. Vines wove about the feet of Madara and Pein and held them in place, and lifted up the bodies of Jiraiya and Kakashi out of the muck reverently.

Outside Amegakure's walls, the shinobi watched as the green wave passed over, leaving grass and flowers just outside the borders. Inside the city, trees began to erupt from the ground, tall trees of every distinct and beautiful kind. They marveled at their friend's power, but Temari sat with her brothers, her chin resting on her crossed arms. Naruto had said he would see her again. But it felt like he was saying goodbye...

Naruto's arms fell as the power stabilized and his unearthly gaze settled on the men in front of him. They watched as he began to slowly stride toward them, every step taken bringing forth flowers that bloomed and then died. He stopped in front of Pein and brought his staff to chest level, aiming the end at God Realm's chest.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Nagato grunted in frustration as he tried to force his Realms to move. He would not be taken by this insignificant little insect. He was Pein. He was a god! No mortal could stand up to the power of a god.

He didn't see Konan turn from the glass, so caught up in his struggles. He didn't see her hold out her hand. He didn't see her ever present paper flower reform into a kunai. His Rinnegan eyes could see many things, but they couldn't predict betrayal.

Nagato only saw her step in front of his chair and looked up to tell her to go away. He froze when he saw the tears in her eyes.

"I'm sorry. This is for Yahiko."

Nagato's eyes crossed to look at the paper blade lodged in his forehead and he gurgled a bit in surprise. He'd never been hurt since his eyes had changed. This sensation of floating...what was it? Was this...death? But...gods can't die...they're immortal...

The last thing he saw with his many visions was a weeping Konan leaving through the shattered window and the scowling face of Uzumaki Naruto as his staff thrust into Yahiko's chest.

His last thought was that he didn't know which broke his heart more...

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Naruto frowned when Pein's three bodies went limp and looked up when he heard glass shatter. The blue-haired woman he had heard about flew out of the window, her paper wings shaped like that of a moth. How...beautiful. Yet, some moths were poisonous...and he couldn't let such a dangerous insect roam in the world to come.

Madara watched through his hazy vision as Naruto held out a hand in Konan's direction and a huge Venus Flytrap emerged from the ground. The giant plant grew to the woman's level and swallowed her whole, the acids in its digestive tract already working on her papery wings. It wouldn't be long before she was digested.

He couldn't have her sowing poison in the new world.

His gaze settled on Madara and the man squirmed.

"Are you real? Or are you a trick?"

Naruto leaned forward and beckoned with his finger. A rose bush grew behind the Uchiha and the blond picked a particularly thorny rose, brushing it against Madara's face. The man hissed in pain and Naruto spoke.

"**Tell me what you see and I'll tell you if it's real."**

"I see my family, my wife and my brother. I see the Kyuubi jinchuuriki glowing with an ethereal power that is green. I see Amegakure overrun by flora."

"**Your family is an illusion. Someone of your ilk doesn't get to see their loved ones when they die."**

"Why?"

"**Because Hell is torture. And seeing your family wouldn't be torture to you."**

The rose lengthened into a spike and Naruto drove it into Madara's chest. There would be no teleporting away, no phasing out. The man simply gasped and began to babble again.

"Wife, why are you fading? Don't go. Brother, don't go. Why is everything getting dark? Is this...reality? Was everything a lie?"

Naruto closed his eyes and sighed. He didn't feel anything from Pein or Madara's death. He didn't feel anything from Konan's. Perhaps that was the curse of being the embodiment of the green? Just like nature, you were neutral to everything? No, he wouldn't be like that. Deciding it was time to give in, he gave himself over to the power and heard a voice in the back of his mind.

"_You have little time. Make it count."_

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

_Temari had had her eyes closed as she prayed and had only opened them to see if anything had changed. To her surprise she found herself on a street corner in Konoha. It seemed very familiar, but she couldn't figure out why._

"_Don't you remember? It's the first place we met."_

_Temari whipped around to find Naruto standing behind her, his hands in the pockets of his jacket. She ran to him and wrapped him in a hug, pressing herself into his chest. His arms wrapped around her as well and the two stood there for a moment in silence before she broke it._

"_Why are we in Konoha?"_

"_We aren't."_

"_Then where are we?"_

_Naruto gave her another small smile and motioned for her to follow._

"_Come with me. We don't have much time."_

_She walked beside him down the street, her ears catching the sound of feet shuffling behind them. A glance over her shoulder revealed an ancient man, leaning on a staff._

"_Who's he?"_

"_A friend. Don't worry about him. I have to tell you something. Sit. I'll push you."_

_Temari hadn't realized where they were going or when they got there, but they were in front of the Konoha academy, at the swingset. She obediently sat down and Naruto began to push her._

"_I'm not coming home, Temari."_

_She slammed her feet into the ground, stopping her momentum and leaped out of the seat._

"_What do you mean?"_

"_I can't come home. He gave me this time to say goodbye. I wanted to let you know that I love you and I'll miss you."_

_She shook her head._

"_No, you have to come home. We have a life to build together."_

_Naruto shook his head sadly and put his hands on her shoulders. Leaning forward, he placed a kiss on her forehead._

"_I'm sorry. Promise me that you'll find happiness, Temari. My happiest times were spent with you. Just promise me that you'll be happy."_

_Tears stung her eyes as she glared at him._

"_How can I be happy without you? Take me with you!"_

_He turned his head to the side._

"_I can't. Where I'm going, you can't follow."_

_She whipped around to the old man, her teeth grinding._

"_You! Don't take him. Please! And if you have to, take me with him!"_

"_I can't do that. I don't get to say who stays and who goes. I'm only here to guide him."_

_Temari's shoulders shook and tears began to roll down her face._

"_But...I don't want you to leave. I want you to stay."_

"_I know you do. And I want to stay. But I can't. This is part of my sacrifice, Temari."_

_She looked into his blue eyes, locking them to her teal ones._

"_Haven't you sacrificed enough?"_

_Naruto smiled at her and wrapped her in a hug once more, crushing her to him, before leaning back and kissing her deeply. Temari tried to make the kiss last as long as she could until Naruto gently pushed her away and the old man touched his shoulder, not daring to look at her._

"_It's time."_

_Naruto nodded his head and gave her one more gentle kiss as he began to fade out._

"_I love you, Temari. With all my heart. Be happy."_

Temari jolted out of her stupor when Kankurou shook her shoulder.

"Temari, you okay? You started crying."

Her response was to sniffle and then to launch herself at him, wrapping her arms around his neck and burying her face into his chest. Kankurou, not knowing what to do, awkwardly patted her back as he looked to Amegakure when it happened.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Naruto never really opened his eyes the way Temari did. He simply let the power overtake him and pushed it outward, bending it to his will. He would give this world an Eden and a guideline to live by. He would bring peace to this world by taking it back to its roots. After all, if there is plenty, then there is no reason for war. And if the strong protect, then there are no weak.

The green's new embodiment pushed its power to the limits and Amegakure exploded into life and color. The green aura rushed out from the center of the Elemental Nations and into every nook and cranny. The invading shinobi gasped as grass and glowers grew under their feet and fruit trees erupted from the ground beside them.

The people of Iwa were astounded when their barren soil bore vegetables and fruit they had never seen began to grow.

The people of Kumo watched as their rocky terrains began to flower and bloom and vines began to grow on their tower.

The people of Kiri watched as their soil, always to wet for most things to grow, began to become overbearing with bounty.

The people of Konoha, a land that had always been rich, watched as the forest surrounding them became bigger and more expansive.

The people of Suna watched in awe from their walls as the desert surrounding them became one massive oasis. They cheered, for this could only be the doing of their own Uzumaki Naruto.

Tsubasa and his tribe watched with both excitement and sadness as the green once again covered the earth. This was what they had wanted, but the price was so high. He hazarded a glance downward to Temari, who had a smaller Sanzoku nudging her with his nose out of sympathy. A deep, rumbling sigh escaped his lips and he ambled off back toward Amegakure.

**Come on. We should go see what happened.**

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Color was everywhere as they walked through what used to be a great maze of pipes and water. Colors of every shade and hue popped up around them, surrounding them and bombarding their perceptions with a fusillade of flora. The group followed along behind Tsubasa, but two in particular trailed behind, knowing already what they would find.

**I'll miss him.**

"Please...don't say that..."

**I'll stay with you if you want me to...**

"...I'd appreciate that...thank you..."

The various plants around them seemed to spread apart, leading them to where they needed to go. Tsubasa gasped when he came upon the site they had departed from and bowed his head. Everyone stepped around him to see what the matter was and gasped. Most started crying.

Upon three seats made of vines, sat the bodies of Naruto, Jiraiya, and Kakashi. One by one, they all came forward to see them. Temari wouldn't go and neither would Tsunade. It was too horrible for either of them. Shikamaru limped to stand before Naruto, whose chin rested on his chest as if he were asleep and squinted his eyes.

"There's writing above each of their seats."

The others all calmed down as he began to read, starting with Jiraiya, then Kakashi, and then Naruto.

"I believe in a better world."

"Those who abandon their friends are trash."

"The weak do not serve the strong, the strong serve the weak."

**Words to live by. It's their legacy to you.**

The shinobi all turned to the Raccoon King, their attention given.

**They sacrificed everything so that you would have a better world. Do not waste it. Do not make their deaths be in vain.**

Hachi Kira, in a rare moment of lucidity and seriousness, turned to where the three shinobi were seated and knelt down.

"I swear on my life that this world will be better. I'll bring about change with my own two hands."

And one by one, the others followed him, swearing to change the world for the better.

Temari looked up from her spot, her cheeks and eyes red from crying, as she whispered to her departed lover.

"But what is a new world when my world is gone?"

**Hope you enjoyed this. Come back for the epilogue.**


	29. Epilogue

**EPILOGUE**

_Dear Naruto,_

_It was so very hard to get out of bed this morning. It's been a while since I last wrote, but then, as the years went by, I somewhat forgot the purpose. I'm sorry for that. I know you must have been lonely without me writing. I know that sounds silly. Let me fill you in on what's happened since I last wrote._

_We now live in a world without war, one where everyone lives in harmony. Oh, there's still little minor hiccups every now and then, but there have been no major battles or skirmishes in decades. Everyone heard of your sacrifice and chose to honor it. _

_I was sad when you left, even though now I understand why you did. You didn't have a choice. I'm proud of you for being as brave as you were. I don't know if I could have done that in your place. _

_I miss you, Naruto. I've missed you every day since that dreadful, horrible day. I tried to be happy for you, I really did. I tried to move on. I watched our friends get married, have children, and be happy. I watched your legacy grow, even when you weren't around. I've tried to uphold that legacy._

_I know you still watch over me. I know that, because the gardenias grow thicker in our home than they do anywhere else in the world. And there's that particular yellow rose garden outside the bedroom window that always grows in the shape of a heart._

_I miss you, Naruto. The few years we had together weren't enough. I want to hold you. I want to kiss you. I want to just know that you're there. I'd storm the gates of hell if I knew you were there and I'd do the same thing to heaven. _

_I never had any children of my own. I tried to find someone else to love, because you said you wanted me happy. There was this one boy from Kusagakure that I thought I loved, but no one could ever compare to you. My heart belongs to you, Naruto. It always has, it always will. You were my happiness._

_It's been years and now our friends are passing on as well. I'm one of the oldest, so I guess I'm one of the next to go. My yellow hair that you loved so much is white now and I can't hold my fan anymore. Haven't picked the damn thing up in years. It's disheartening actually._

_I've chronicled your life into a book and titled it The Legend of the Gutsy Ninja 2, in honor of Jiraiya. It's popular amongst the children. Speaking of children, your class all graduated, just as you said they would. The Chuunin Exams are more of a spectacle now than they are a simulation. But your kids swept the whole thing._

_By the way, your two top students ended in a tie. They couldn't beat each other and they dedicated the match to your memory. It was sweet and creepy, in a hero worship kind of way._

_Tsunade passed on a couple years after Amegakure. I'm sure you've run into her up there. I'm sure that you're still getting onto her for gambling. I'm sure she's still wrangling Jiraiya away from bathhouses. And I'm sure Kakashi still reads Jiraiya's porn._

_That's their heavens. Want to hear what mine is?_

_You and me. That's heaven. At least, for me._

_I know I've done some bad things in life, but you did so much for me. If I do end up going to hell for some reason, I hope they let angels visit. Just a kiss, that's all I'd ask for. Just one more kiss._

_It was so very hard to get up this morning, Naruto. So very, very hard..._

"Do you want to know why it was so hard to get up this morning, Sabaku no Temari?"

A wrinkled face turned to the voice from where she sat at a desk and white eyebrows rose. An old man with a staff stood before her, an old man that she would never forget.

"It's because you never got up. Hello, Temari. It's good to see you again."

Temari narrowed her eyes and turned back to her letter.

"You're late."

A gray eyebrow quirked and hands rubbed on the staff.

"Beg pardon?"

"You're late. You're fifty-seven years late."

"I told you before, Temari, I don't get to choose who goes when. I'm merely here to escort you to your fate."

The old woman stood to her feet, her bones creaking and huffed.

"Fine. Let's go and get this over with."

The old man nodded once and tapped his staff on the ground. Temari blinked and next thing she knew, she was in a hallway with two doors and a robed figure between them. She gasped when she looked at her hands and found the skin to be soft and smooth. A few slaps at her face and she found no wrinkles. A happy laugh escaped her lips, causing the old man to smile.

"I thought you would appreciate being at the age when you last saw Naruto. Now then, let's take you to your final guide."

Temari swallowed the lump in her throat and followed the old man to the mysterious robed figure. He whispered something to the guard of the doors and the head bobbed once, in understanding. The staff wielder turned to Temari with a smile and put a kind hand on her shoulder.

"This is where we part. My colleague will take you on your way from here. Do as he says. He'll guide you to where you are supposed to be."

Temari gave him a smile and nodded her head in understanding before walking past him and standing before the figure.

"I'm ready. What do I have to do?"

The hooded head cocked to the side and a scratchy voice echoed from the darkness.

"Choose your door. Your final place will be beyond the one you choose. Good luck."

Temari stared at the figure in disbelief.

"What? This is how you guys resolve people's afterlives? By a game of freaking chance?"

"Do not question. Only do."

Temari huffed and looked at the two doors. They were identical down to the doorknob. How was she supposed to know which one to choose? Her hand twitched from one to the other before that scratchy voice broke the silence.

"Choose!"

Before she could think, she opened the door on the right and stepped into pure blackness. The door behind her shut and a hand found its way to her shoulder.

"Do not fear. I shall guide you to your place."

Temari fought back the tears in her eyes. After all these years, trying to make up for bad deeds so she could see her Naruto again, and she ends up in the darkness...it was her worst nightmare come true. She sniffled and the robed figure looked over at her.

"Do not weep. We do not yet know what your place will be."

Temari cast hopeful eyes to the side.

"You mean...I'm not damned?"

"I don't know."

She sobered up a bit at that and they continued to walk for what seemed like forever until eventually they came to a lone tree standing in the middle of the darkness with a simple plank swing hanging from a thick limb. The robed figure stepped to the side and grabbed a rope.

"Sit. I'll push you."

Temari's face screwed into a scowl and she snarled at whoever was under the cloth.

"How dare you! That's one of the last things Naruto did for me! If I'm to be punished then so be it, but don't you dare think I'll stand for that!"

The figure was not moved.

"Sit."

Temari's anger subsided and she sat down forlornly on the wooden plank, her head hanging low as she whispered.

"Whatever I did to deserve this...I'm sorry."

"And what, my dear Temari, would you have to be sorry for? Seriously, all those years you knew me and you didn't think I'd pull one last prank on you?"

Temari's back stiffened and her neck slowly turned to look over her shoulder, hope swelling in her heart. The hood fell back to reveal the golden locks and bewhiskered face of her beloved, his trademark grin in full effect.

"Hey, babe. It took you forever to get here."

The next thing he knew he was on his back with a hysterical Temari on top of him, kissing him, touching him, anything to make sure he was real. After she had calmed down, he sat upright with her in his arms. She had so much to ask him and after several minutes of inane questions, she asked the one he'd been waiting for.

"So...is this heaven?"

"Yes, it's our heaven."

She looked around the darkness again and quirked an eyebrow.

"Our heaven? It's black."

"Well, duh. It's not finished. I've been waiting for you. Everyone's heaven is different, you know, and mine wasn't complete without you."

Temari nodded and let him pull her to her feet. She smiled at the familiar touch and melded against his body again.

"So...how do we complete it?"

Naruto put a finger to his chin and thought for a second.

"Hmmmm..."

A devilish smile later and she was worried. It left immediately when he put his fist under her chin, tilting her head up.

"How about this? We close our eyes, kiss until we can't hold our breath any longer, and then...we open them."

"That's it?"

"That's it."

She smiled as she threw her arms around his neck and whispered.

"That sounds like a damned good plan."

The two locked lips and for a moment, even heaven seemed to stop for them. A love that had been unrequited for decades, one that would last eternity, had finally come back to itself. Temari broke off after a minute, gasping for breath, and heard Naruto whisper in her ear.

"Open your eyes, Temari."

Slowly, ever so slowly, she cracked her eyes open and the splendor and beauty of their heaven caused her breath to hitch and a lump to form in her throat. Sheer words could not form the magnificence and scope of what lay before her. To a blissfully happy Temari, it could only be summed up in two words.

"...Oh my..."

**And that is the end of An Uzumaki Amongst the Dunes. I hope you folks have enjoyed yourself. I'm sad to see this end. This is the story that put me on the map in FanFiction. I didn't want it to end. I really didn't. But all good things must come to an end. I just want to thank everyone who's ever read this story, from the newly started to the folks who have been here since the beginning.**

**The ending is partly borrowed from a scene in an online comic called "Jack". It's an excellent comic based on the ideas that Heaven and Hell are different than we think. **

**www(dot)pholph(dot)com**

**Check it out. **

**Readers, Reviewers, Thank You ever so much. I love you, guys. Even you anonymous assholes. Thanks for hanging with me. I'll get back to work now.**


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